


I'm not angry at you, well, sometimes I am

by sircantus



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: And also helping him take down a government, Antarctic Anarchists but not in the way you're gonna think, Author Is Sleep Deprived, BAMF Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Bonding!, Brotherly Bonding, Dadza, Dream may be strong, Family Dynamics, Found Family, Fun family pass time: anarchy, Gen, Given that its an ANGSTY fuckin decision ive elected to ignore it, In which Techno goes into retirement for like, In which Techno slowly but surely gets people to go "Actually anarchy is may be an option", In which Tommy slowly but surely goes "Actually anarchy may be an option", Nothing says bonding like preventing your little brother from freezing to death, Protective Philza, Protective Technoblade, This is supposed to be mainly techno and tommy centric, Tommy needs a hug and he will get one because I said so, Yeah we'll add that in there, a day, and incredible violence, but he's got nothing against the power of 'family love', but you know....I got ideas, i recognize that canon has made a decision, then goes "okay so I'm gonna burn everything down", tommy gets exiled
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:54:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 75,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27878693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sircantus/pseuds/sircantus
Summary: Tommy gets exiled from l'manburg, forcefully told to go. So he does, he runs away from his home, continuing on his way, even when the temperature drops, even when snow starts to fall, even when he starts to lose feeling in his fingers, hoping for something to come along.Then he practically passes out there, in the middle of the snow.It's a good thing that Techno notices him from a far distance.---Tommy ends up at Techno's house after exile. Phil ends up joining them, soon followed by Wilbur, and after some escape attempts, a lot of glaring, and the usual bickering, Tommy decides to stay.And then Tommy, accidentally, more or less, seals l'manburg's fate by having a family that sees him hurt, and goes "you know what would be a great revenge? :D World Domination."
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 1279
Kudos: 5672





	1. Boy in the snow

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be paying attention to class? Probably
> 
> Is this story going to get longer than I planned? Most definitely
> 
> Should I stop writing a bunch of stories on impulse and instead focus on my other unfinished works that yell for my attention? Maybe so, but at this point I just make words and throw them so they're your problem. 
> 
> Enjoy the story, there will probably be another chapter in like an hour, because i'm writing this during english class (it counts, probably)

  
  


It happens when he’s walking through the wilderness, arms wrapped around himself to keep the biting wind away as he slowly travels away from l’manburg, farther and farther, when,

This wasn’t just Dream, wasn’t it, Tommy realizes. 

This wasn’t just him. Even though that prick had been so smug, smiling down at Tommy as Tubbo read out an order for exile, for Tommy to leave his home behind-

He had known, he  _ knew _ , that if Tubbo became a leader, he would only end up leaving Tommy, and he did, he did leave him. Everyone left him. 

How was it that Wilbur had fallen, again? Why was it that he fell apart?

Power, Tommy thinks, frowning as he tugs at the thin cloak over his shoulders, rubbing the back of his hand across his nose, trying to wipe off dried blood from when he had initially refused to leave. 

Power corrupts, it always has, it always will, in some sort of way. He’s lost Wilbur to it, he lost Tubbo to it-

This is all Dream’s fault. Isn’t it? This is his fault, right? 

But Dream wasn’t the reason Wilbur slowly fell victim to his own paranoia in the safety of Pogtopia, when it was still their place to stay. Dream wasn’t the reason why Tubbo kept drifting away, farther and farther, choosing his responsibilities over Tommy time and time again. 

No, this is Dream’s fault. Right?

Tommy wants to mutter angrily and curse out the green bastard’s name, wants to put the blame of everything that’s ever happened on him, this is because of him, he lost because of him, he lost his friends and allies, his own home, and it’s all because of-

Tommy stops abruptly in the middle of walking, even though the wind blows at his face harshly, and the snow piles around his feet. He closes his eyes, breathing in sharply as he’s reminded that he’s lost so much. 

His hands feel shaky, and he can’t tell if that’s because he wants to scream or because the cold is seeping right into his bones. 

Power corrupts, he thinks, and he’s faintly reminded of Technoblade. 

Power corrupts, it destroys, and that’s exactly what Techno kept yelling right before he destroyed what little was left in l’manburg. 

Tommy doesn’t want to admit it, he wants to desperately stay stubborn, he wants to put all of his blame on Dream, he wants to fight, and yell, and curse out everyone who’s against him-

He chokes back a sob, instead, because he knows that Techno may have had a point. Heroes don’t get happy endings. Not in his case. How the hell does he get a happy ending then?

He doesn’t want to end up like Wilbur.

He doesn’t want to be bad.

But what even is there  _ left _ ? Tommy’s alone, with nothing but his bitterness and the thin clothes on his back, that has the cold soaking through too easily. His lip stings, from where he was hit harshly across the face after he fought with Dream to protest against being thrown out. Tubbo had only yelled for him to stop, but he hadn’t done anything. Just watched sadly as Tommy eventually walked away, blood across his face. 

Tommy stares at the snow on the ground, he stares at his own feet, of which he can barely even feel at this point, from trudging through the snow storm, and he has a moment of knowing that he’s too tired for this. 

He will always want to fight back, he will always want to yell, and kick, and be defiant in every way. 

But right now he’s so tired. And with the exhaustion in his heart, he internally admits it to himself, and only himself. 

Technoblade was right. In some regards. Tommy isn’t wrong, no, he never is, he’s never wrong.

Power corrupts. And like a fool he handed over his best friend to that power. And look where it’s left him. Walking into the wilderness, moving through a plain field with the snow blowing through the wind, chilling him to the bone. 

It’s so cold.

Tommy keeps walking, ignoring how his legs protest at moving once more, slow and numb. He has to keep moving. Towards this direction. He’s not particularly sure where he’ll arrive, and if he will get there, but he has to. It’s not like he can turn back, anyway. 

He sighs out into the wind, his breath visible in the cold air as tries to ignore the feeling of numbness crawling up his legs, at the tips of his fingers. He’ll find shelter, soon, he just needs to keep walking. He needs to keep moving, is all, he can-

Tommy trips, falling into the ground, not even making an effort to slow his fall. He just lands into the snow, breathing out sharply as he curls his hands into fists in the snow, trying to push himself up. His head hurts, and his vision blurs a little as he notices tears falling onto the snow.

Trying to take breath to calm himself, it comes out as more of gasp, and Tommy hates how his shoulders shake as he chokes on another sob. He’s so tired of this. 

Just a moment of rest, he debates. Just a moment of staying here. He’s exhausted, and he gives up on pushing himself back up, falling right into the snow, nearly face first. Exhaustion catches up with him, and Tommy tries to wipe at his face, his fingers stinging as he closes his eyes, his arm falling to the ground beside him. Just a moment of rest, just a minute. 

The snow keeps falling as he lays there, coating him in white snow, the ice piling onto his hair, his clothes, soaking through and only making him colder. He doesn’t notice at that point, only shivers with half closed eyes, staring off into the distance. 

He’s practically unconscious when footsteps approach, a dark red figure walking through the snow storm, pausing in front of Tommy. He has half a mind to get up, and to look and see who it is, but he doesn’t want to move, and finds he doesn’t want to be awake either. 

Tommy only hears the sound of crunching snow coming towards him, unknown footsteps as his eyes shut again, and they refuse to open as he drifts off. 


	2. Warm houses and silent affection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT THE FUCK WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF YOU
> 
> I posted this THIS MORNING
> 
> WHAT
> 
> okayyyyy uhh, have a chapter :)

Techno’s lucky to even see it, the figure in the distance, hidden by the snow flying through the wind and the slight frost on his window. It’s a small speck out there, but it’s easy to spot against the contrast of bright white. 

He immediately pushes himself out of his seat, his chair getting pushed back with a quiet squeak as he places his palms onto the desk, squinting out of the window. He can barely make out a figure, and it annoys him a little that he can’t be sure of who it is, with the snow falling more harshly than usual. 

It could be Phil, or rather it  _ should _ be, because no one else knows where he lives, and if someone else other than Phil is coming towards him, that’s just annoying. 

He grabs the journal he was writing in from his desk, closing it and holding it in his hands as he stares hesitantly out the window, watching the person approach. Why would Phil visit now? Unless something big happened, but he doesn’t think-

Wait. Tommy’s trial over his exile is today. 

Makes sense for Phil to visit over that, he supposes. Or-

Techno’s thought process stops as he sees the person outside fall to the ground, not moving. 

With the chance of that person being Phil, he immediately throws his journal into a drawer, rushing down the stairs and grabbing his cape and boots, tugging them on with a slight panic in his chest. 

He slams the front door open, walking down the stairs and away from the house in a steady, fast pace towards where he saw the person. The freezing wind bites at his skin, and Techno already hates it, wanting to be back inside with a warm fire, but he needs to check on this, because if Phil of all people is collapsing outside his house, it would be a crime to not go help. 

The snow crunches under his feet as he walks, and as the wind howls over his head, Techno makes a mental note to maybe make a winter coat for Phil, when the weather is like this. 

He approaches the person on the ground, and he spots a dark green, underneath the small layer of snow covering it, and for a second he’s sure it’s Phil, his heart jumping. 

But he’s too small. 

Somehow that realization only makes his heart drop farther. 

Techno lets out a small breath as he gets closer, realizing this isn’t Philza, no, that’s one of his cloaks, maybe, a thin, dark green one he might wear on a warm day, but-

That’s  _ Tommy _ . 

There’s no mistaking it. He’s curled up in the snow, his blond hair peeking out from the white, his face pale, a little too pale. His eyes are closed, and he’s shivering just barely, from what Techno could see. 

Techno realizes he’s stopped in his tracks, just a few feet away, and he makes himself move again, going and kneeling down to Tommy’s level, raising a hand out. 

He looks exhausted, and Techno’s mind swirls with unanswered questions. Why is Tommy here? How did he find him? Why is he wearing Phil’s cloak, a thin layer over his clothes that will do nothing for this weather. 

Techno shakes Tommy gently by the shoulder, but he hardly stirs, eyes closed shut. There’s red smeared across his face, his lip looking bruised. The sight of it itches at Techno, making him only wonder how Tommy’s exile had gone. 

Glancing around at the trees far off and the rest of the snowy field, Techno is only slightly surprised at the fact Tommy is all alone, trudging through the middle of a small snowstorm. 

Sighing under his breath, Techno pulls at Tommy’s arms, sitting him up and tugging at his own red cape around his shoulders. He puts it onto Tommy, ignoring how the wind is already freezing him, instead focusing on getting Tommy warmer, because what the heck, how  _ long _ has he been walking out here? 

Tugging at the thick fabric to make sure Tommy’s bundled up, Techno glances to his house, slipping his arms underneath Tommy and lifting him up from the ground. He’s not heavy, not to Techno at least, and Tommy’s head rests against his shoulder as Techno walks back to his house, ready to get out of this weather already. 

He left the door open when he walked out, and as he walks up the stairs, he frowns at the small bit of snow coming into the house. He steps over it anyway, telling himself to sweep it out in a bit, walking into the house and going over in his head of steps on how to not let Tommy freeze to death. 

First things first, he needs to put Tommy down. It’s a moment of decision though, because he’s not sure if it would be better to have Tommy in front of the fire place, or on an actual bed. 

He chooses to put Tommy down by the fireplace, poking at the fire and making sure it’ll last, because Tommy is going to need it for tonight. He brings blankets over from his bed, placing them down so Tommy isn’t directly on the floor. 

He lets Tommy keep his cape. It’s not like Techno needs it right now, there’s no way he’s going outside, with the sun setting and the wind only continuing to blow violently. 

Even as he brushes out the snow from his doorway, the wind is sharp and freezing, and the sky slowly turns darker past the clouds, and Techno is a little grateful that Tommy got this far, because him being out in weather like this wouldn’t go well. 

Closing the door with the ground being only a little damp, Techno turns back to Tommy, who sleeps on in front of the fire, buried under red cloth. 

Techno takes his cape back, but only for a moment, to pull off Phil’s cloak from Tommy’s shoulders, which is soaked and cold. He tugs off Tommy’s shoes, which are also freezing and wet, probably from Tommy just walking straight through piles of snow. 

He puts it to the side, hanging Phil’s cloak by the fire, Tommy’s shoes tucked in next to a chest. 

Throwing the cape back onto Tommy, Techno sits up, observing Tommy’s face and sighing at the dried blood. A damp rag and some scrubbing later, Tommy’s face is cleaner, and he’s still out cold. 

It’s fully dark outside now, and Techno sits down beside Tommy, glancing at a nearby window and seeing the snow fly past. Part of him still has a million questions, one of them being why Tommy is here, of all places, but he puts them aside, and instead keeps watch. He doesn’t feel like he would be able to sleep tonight, anyway. 

\---

Tommy wakes up early in the morning, the storm outside having lessened into only light snow, and the sky lightening up through the clouds. He doesn’t open his eyes all the way at first, mostly because he’s comfortable and warm, and that’s a big upgrade from how he passed out. 

His mind faintly processes humming from a room over, and Tommy mumbles to himself, rubbing at his eyes as he turns over, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. 

Wait. 

This isn’t a blanket. 

Tommy opens his eyes, and he sharply sits up, realizing that the fabric over him is a red cape, and a rather familiar one too. He looks around the room, a small sense of panic looming over him as he takes in the surroundings. 

He’s in a quaint little home, it seems, a fireplace beside him, the warmth nice, but not that comforting at the moment. There’s chests stacked up in the corner, storage for who knows what, the wooden floor underneath him gives a homey vibe paired with the cobble walls, and Tommy glances under him to find a stack of blankets cushioning his rest. 

The windows show snow falling from the sky outside, and Tommy’s eyes land on a door across the room, looking like a front door directly to outside. 

He feels a bit sluggish, still half-asleep, maybe, but his eyes are wide and his heart feels like it’s going a mile a minute, his brain a constant repeat of “where am I, what the fuck, what’s going on-” 

Tommy shifts around in his makeshift bed, staring at the environment around him, and he freezes as his ears finally focus on the faint humming in the background, coming through a doorway at the right. 

He hears footsteps against wood, and makes an impulse decision, jumping up onto his feet and going for the door, grasping at the doorknob and swinging it open, gritting his teeth at the cold breeze that immediately comes through. 

Running out, he finds stone steps going down to ground level, and is halfway down them before loud, fast footsteps sound out behind him, an arm slipping around his torso and yanking him back, up into the air for a second. 

Tommy shrieks, kicking his feet and hitting the person who’s grabbed him, getting placed back down on his feet soon enough, holding onto the railing as he takes a step down, spinning around. 

“YOU!” He recognizes Techno’s unimpressed face in an instant, and he takes another step down the stairs, immediately yelling. “You  _ motherfucker _ , what the hell!?”

“Good morning to you too.” Techno responds, pushing the door back behind him, glancing inside. 

“Good morn- Technoblade!” Tommy stammers, shaking his head as he raises his voice louder. “Wha- Why- You little-” Tommy goes to take another step down the stairs, and Techno almost reaches out to yank him back into the house by the shirt. 

“Hey, hey, no, stay out of the snow, you don’t even have shoes on.” Techno waves a hand for Tommy to come back inside, and Tommy looks down, noting that indeed his shoes are gone, and the stone is cold underneath his socks. 

He snaps his head back up, chin raised defiantly. “No way, I’m not going in a house with you, you’re gonna murder me, or something-”

“And where else are you going to go?” Techno raises his eyebrows, looking around as if he’s searching for someone else. “Last I heard, you’re exiled.” 

“Oh, shut up.” Tommy grumbles, looking around him and seeing only a field of snow, and trees far off in the distance. He swipes a hand across his face, and winces, accidentally brushing across his injured lip. 

Techno only waits at the top of the steps, crossing his arms as Tommy glances up at him, trying to stubbornly look anywhere except at Techno. 

“...so you’re just gonna stand out here being grumpy for a while longer, or do you want some food?” Techno asks quietly, Tommy huffing. 

“Fuck off.” Tommy responds, but it lacks heat, and Techno doesn’t seem affected. 

“Grumpy then.” He says, Tommy narrowing his eyes at him, half wanting to stand out here until nightfall, just to annoy Techno. 

But the cold is seeping through his socks from the stone, and the temperature out here is making his face red, Tommy sighing out a breath in the cold air. Techno just keeps waiting, leaning back against the door.

He shifts his weight from foot to foot, watching as the snow falls from the sky, landing onto the ground below. 

“Where are we, exactly?” Tommy asks, his voice a bit more calmer than he thought it would be.

“At my house.” Techno responds, and he sounds nearly bored, but the way he’s looking down at Tommy, he knows Techno is in a patient mood, and standing here probably won’t get him anywhere. “You came out of nowhere and passed out in the snow. I felt generous, and I  _ didn’t _ let you freeze to death.”

“You expecting me to thank you?” Tommy deadpans, turning his gaze directly to Techno. 

Techno just shrugs. “Are we going to keep standing out here?”

Tommy stares at him with a small frown, but after a moment of glancing back at the snow around them, he walks up the steps, back through the door that Techno holds open for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not get enough sleep last night to be proof reading this, if you see a typo, no you didn't, that's future me's problem


	3. Misdirected anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's midnight. It's a school night. This is honestly a good time for me, hey-o guess who's getting sleep tonight? ME!
> 
> Enjoy the story.
> 
> (Also what the FUCK there are a lot of you jfc)

  
  


While Tommy still wants to kick Techno in the shin for daring to exist near him, he is appreciative of the way the house is warmer than outside, and he rubs his hands along his arms, sighing as Techno closes the door.

Techno walks off through the doorway on the side, and Tommy takes a moment to scan the room, seeing the cloak he had earlier hanging up by the fireplace. He kinda wants to look for his shoes and try going for the door again, but it would be more beneficial to steal some food first, so Tommy follows Techno through the doorway, into a small kitchen. 

There’s a dark brown wood table at the center, a chair already pulled out, and Tommy goes to sit down, watching as Techno moves around with a bowl by the counter, his back facing Tommy. 

While Techno is doing whatever, Tommy takes the time to check over himself, observing his hands and frowning at the slight cuts and scrapes he finds scattered across his knuckles. His lip is also injured, he can tell by the slight stinging he feels as he runs a hand across it. Glancing at Techno to make sure he’s not looking, Tommy tugs up his left sleeve the slightest bit, wincing as he sees discolored skin, a result of having a door slammed onto his arm. 

He pulls the sleeve back down, choosing to deal with that later. His arm still works, so it’s not an entirely big deal. 

Techno turns back around and places a bowl of what looks to be soup in front of Tommy, a spoon put beside it as well. Tommy doesn’t reach for it, only keeps his eyes on Techno as he pulls a chair back with a small screech, sitting across Tommy and leaning his elbows on the table. 

“What’s this?” Tommy asks, flicking his eyes down to the bowl for a second. 

“Soup.” Techno responds, shrugging. He rests his chin on one of his hands, looking more bored if anything. 

They sit there in silence, the air turning awkward in a few measly seconds, and Tommy reaches for the spoon just so he has something to do rather than look at Technoblade. The soup isn’t bad, to be honest, it’s probably mushroom, if Tommy’s going to guess, but he doesn’t say anything on it and instead just keeps his eyes on the bowl, eating. 

“So.” Techno starts, Tommy giving him a glare over the table. “First things first, you got exiled.”

Tommy pretends to not hear him, instead just slurping loudly at his food to piss Technoblade off. He pretends like Techno isn’t even there. 

He  _ really _ doesn’t want to hear it from Techno, of all people. What he really wants is to be on his way and figure out a plan on getting back into l’manburg without getting killed, and yet here he is, sitting in a kitchen with some stupid soup. He frowns at the bowl then, as if it’s the soup’s fault why he’s stuck in this situation right now. 

Techno huffs at not getting a response from Tommy, only getting a weird reaction to the soup. He mentally questions if Tommy hates mushrooms. “I’m guessing you were thrown out of l’manburg pretty quickly. And you came to me...why?” 

There’s plenty of reasons as to why Tommy might’ve come his way, and Techno has no clue on which to pick, because right now the most he’s getting is the implication that Tommy is very upset with him, which, is comforting in it’s consistency. If anything else, he can count on that angry teen angst directed at him at all times. 

Tommy still doesn’t answer his question, though, in fact, he doesn’t even spare a glance, and Techno decides to try a different approach, because he’s dying for some sort of info. 

“You had one of Phil’s cloaks.” Tommy does freeze at that, halfway through raising the spoon to his mouth. “I recognized it. Did he give you directions?”

“I didn’t even know the thing pointed to  _ you _ .” Tommy mutters, and Techno freezes at that, realizing that means-

“You have the compass?” Techno asks, sitting up straight in his chair. 

“I don’t have any compass.” Tommy answers, rolling his eyes. “I don’t have anything.” He mutters, a little more quietly. 

“But Phil-” Techno pauses, sighing. “Okay. From the beginning. How did your exile go?”

“Why the fuck do you wanna know?” Tommy asks, scraping his spoon at his bowl. “Where are my shoes, by the way?” 

“I’ll give them once you tell me what happened.” Techno responds, eyes falling onto Tommy’s hands, noting the slight scrapes and scabs, all recent. 

“I got exiled. Tubbo went against me, Dream tried escorting me out, I punched him in the face, and then I ran on my own terms.” Tommy summarizes, with a flattest tone he can manage, almost like Techno’s voice in a way. “Now can I have my shoes back?” 

Techno stands up abruptly, his chair getting pushed back with a squeak. Holding a hand out to Tommy and signalling him to stay, he walks out back into the main room, Tommy watching him go, and drinking the rest of his soup as Techno walks out of sight. 

Techno goes to where he left Tommy’s shoes earlier, tucked in between his chests and the fireplace. Tommy probably didn’t spot it, since it looked like he just ran the second he saw the door. He pulls them out, holding them up and noting the damage on them, the wear and tear of Tommy running around recklessly. 

He then throws them into one of his chests, closing the lid quietly, and adding some logs to the fireplace. He grabs Phil’s cloak hanging nearby and walks back into the kitchen, throwing the cloth onto the table. 

“You found a compass. And it pointed towards me. I only gave that to Phil, for Phil only, so I want to know, did Phil tell you to come here?” He asks, tapping a finger down on the table. 

If Phil specifically sent Tommy this way, that places a bit of a responsibility on Techno’s shoulders. It means that Phil’s trusted him with Tommy’s safety, and he’ll be damned if he were to let Phil down in any sort of way. 

“Phil didn’t tell me to come here.” Tommy finally gives, and he taps his spoon against the table with a conflicted face, keeping his eyes away from Techno. 

“Then how did you  _ find _ me?”

“Because I found your stupid compass, and I followed the direction, but I didn’t take it with me. I wasn’t able to.” Tommy tells, turning his head away from Techno. 

Techno leans back, crossing his arms. “...What happened yesterday?”

“Oh, fuck off, will you?” Tommy pushes the bowl away from him, getting to his feet. He doesn’t want to hear this. He’s not going to recount his shitty experience of fighting to stay in his home for just a few minutes longer, because the last thing he wants right now is for Techno to say ‘I told you so’.

He will not stand that. He doesn’t not want this. At least Techno was useful for something, in which he’s not dead to hypothermia, but Tommy wants nothing more, he wants Techno to fuck off. 

“Tommy-” Techno tries, but Tommy pushes him and walks past, off to look for a pair of shoes so he can leave. He needs to get supplies, a base, he needs to fix this. He needs to start making a plan, and, and-

He’s stopped by Techno grabbing his upper arm, preventing him from walking any further. 

“This is technically kidnapping, I am being held here against my will, this is very illegal-” Tommy rambles, hitting his hand at Techno’s arm. 

“Your arm is bleeding.” Techno points out, raising a finger, and Tommy looks to his left arm to find that it is indeed bleeding, a red stain coming through the fabric of his sleeve. 

“Oh.” He says simply, choosing to ignore that for the time being. “Great, thanks for that reminder, I’m leaving now.”

“Nooo, you’re not.” Techno sighs, and he drags Tommy back over to the chair by the shirt, Tommy complains loudly as he tries to pull back. 

“I’m being held against my will! I can technically shank you in self-defense! I fucking will!” Tommy yells, Techno scoffing. 

“I have an first aid kit-”

“I don’t  _ want- _ ”

“Tommy, you’re not going to get far in this biome without proper clothes or supplies, and I’m not letting you go on your way until I get the full story.” Techno says sternly, face set with a serious look. 

Tommy only swings a foot out at Techno’s shins, Techno taking a swift step back and dodging.“I don’t need your  _ fucking _ help!”

“Well, who else is going to help you?! Who else do you  _ have _ ?! Huh?! You’re really going to tell me that you have someone on your side? Because it didn’t look like it last night! You were passed out in the middle of a field, in the snow! In a  _ snowstorm _ !”

“I’m-”

“You would have literally died if I didn’t drag you in here! And now you’re acting tough and angry, but it still doesn’t change the fact that you have  _ nothing _ !” 

Tommy’s face goes broken at that last sentence, and something tugs in Techno’s chest at that face, because Tommy’s gone from yelling and swearing to looking like a kicked puppy in less than two seconds. 

Tommy’s gaze drops to his feet, and he keeps his eyes down as Techno stands in place, debating on if he should say something else or drop the subject for something else. 

He chooses to go grab some bandages instead, walking away from Tommy and bringing out a small first aid kit from the higher cabinets, usually only used for when he’s rarely hurt by a mob of some sort. Walking back around the table, he puts the box down on Phil’s cape, opening it up and looking through, glad to see that he had been keeping up with supplies in there. 

Kneeling down in front of Tommy’s chair, he holds a hand out with an expectant face, and is only a little surprised when Tommy gives over his arm without complaint, his face looking defeated. 

Techno doesn’t particularly feel bad for yelling, but he feels bad that his words had some truth to them. He is right, in multiple regards, Tommy has nothing right now. He’s in the middle of nowhere, apparently not even having known that he was going  _ towards _ Techno, and he doesn’t even have any sort of tools on him. If anything, Tommy needs to get it through his head that he should take all the help he can get. 

Techno tugs Tommy’s sleeve up and raises his eyebrows at the bruising on his arm, with a small weirdly placed cut along the side of it. It’s not a horrible injury, but it’s enough to have Tommy grimacing at the sight of it. 

“Any idea of where this came from?” Techno asks, lifting Tommy’s arm up and checking over the marks on his skin. 

“This is a result of trying to close a door when your arm is in the way.” Tommy mutters, a slight bit of sarcasm in his tone. 

Techno only hums and reaches for the kit on the table, putting down the ground beside him, working on wrapping the injury. 

As he does, Tommy stares at the kit beside him, his eyes moving from his arm, to the kit, to Techno for a split second, then at his own feet, his own dirty and torn up socks. 

“...Tubbo decided I was a liability to l’manburg.” Tommy says quietly, Techno slowing in his movements, but continuing in silence, giving a glance up at Tommy to go on. “He said that teaming with you was a terrible idea, and...ordered Dream to escort me out of his country.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t agree with that.” Techno says, almost whispering. Their voices have gone low now, as if they talk any louder someone will hear. 

“I ran back into l’manburg before he could get to me. He followed, and...I fought back.” Tommy taps his fingers on his lip. “We fought for a bit, I think Quackity had tried to get Dream to stop, tried getting in his way, but I’m honestly not completely sure what happened. It was really fast, and I barely had time to grab anything before Dream was coming after me.” 

Tommy remembers how much everyone was screaming, Quackity yelling for Tommy to run before getting slammed down into the ground harshly for getting in Dream’s way. Tubbo had only watched silently from on top of the walls, though, while everyone was scrambling to deal with the sudden grave decision. Tommy doesn't think he’ll ever forget that image, of Tubbo only just staring. 

Techno nods, mentally putting Quackity on his good list. “Did anyone else try helping?”

“Fundy, I think? But Dream didn’t listen to him. I ran around town and went into Phil’s house for shelter, which is where I got this. We fought with the door for a bit.” Tommy nods to his arm, Techno humming. “Phil wasn’t there, so I looked through his things, grabbed his cape and found a compass. I marked down which direction it was pointing, because I was sure it pointed towards somewhere good, but by then Dream had already kicked down the door and I had to jump out a window.”

“You didn’t take the compass with you?”

“No.” Tommy says, and he doesn’t give a reason why, Techno deciding he doesn’t really need one. 

“After that, I went through the water in the crater underneath l’manburg, was able to lose Dream for a few minutes. I found an opening through the walls and ran.” 

Techno finishes wrapping Tommy’s arm, silent as he processes the story, Tommy staying quiet and still. He looks up at Tommy for a moment, Tommy breathing in deeply, as if he’s preparing for Techno to say something, but Techno only observes his injured lip, then goes on to put the excess bandages back in the kit beside him. 

“...so?” Tommy asks, Techno looking back at him. 

“Hm?”

Tommy huffs, swinging his feet a little as Techno closes the lid of the box. “Aren’t you going to say ‘told you so’?” 

Techno stands up, holding the box in his arms, looking down to Tommy, who stares back with a certain fierceness that only Tommy can have at all times. 

“Told you so.” Techno repeats, but it’s hardly full of feeling, and Tommy gives him a bewildered look, his face only growing more confused as Techno pats his hand onto Tommy’s hair, then walks off to put the first aid back. 

“...what.” Tommy says, Techno snorting at the way he sounds. 

“I’ll gloat about me being right about the government later, Toms. Did you want more soup, or no?” He says, turning around and grabbing the bowl from the table, Tommy making a perplexed face, Techno practically being able to see the question marks floating around his head. 

“Uhm, no.” Tommy responds, Techno shrugging. 

“Suit yourself.” He waves a hand for Tommy to follow, and walks through the doorway back into the other room, going to pick up all the blankets beside the fireplace. Tommy only watches with curious eyes, rubbing a hand along his bandages around his arm. 

Techno takes the pile of blankets in his arms and tilts his head for Tommy to follow along, walking up the stairs to the side, to a hallway with two doors. He goes through the first door, throwing a blanket onto his bed, along with his own red cape, and puts the other blankets down on the floor beside the bed. Tommy lingers by the doorway, looking over the place and seeing the chests, the armor, maps on the wall, and some swords tucked away in the corner. He assumes this is Techno’s room. 

Techno grabs a shirt out from his closet, throwing it onto the bed as well. “Alright, you can wear that, since your shirt is stained now, I can wash yours later. Can’t guarantee that’ll fit, but, eh, better than nothing. I suggest also getting some more rest, because I don’t know if you noticed, but you look terrible.” 

Tommy gives Techno an unimpressed face, Techno grinning. But Tommy walks up to the bed anyway, picking up the shirt carefully, like it might set on fire in his hands. 

“...thanks.” Tommy mumbles, his eyebrows furrowing as he stares at the fabric, tilting his head up to glance at Techno. 

“You’re welcome.” Techno yawns, waving a hand and walking out. 

“Close the door.” Tommy says, Techno giving a vague sound of affirmation, the door closing with a small click as he leaves. 

Tommy stands beside the bed, staring at the shirt in his hands, feeling like he might be having a concussion of some type. What the  _ fuck _ was that? 

He turns his attention to the blankets on the ground beside him, and sighs a little, looking to the door to check if Techno is going to come in, laughing and saying it’s a joke, for Tommy to leave with his worn down shoes getting thrown his direction. 

Tommy realizes he still doesn’t know where his said shoes even  _ are _ , and curses the fact that he didn’t persist, pulling his shirt over his head, throwing the dirty clothing to the side. 

Techno was right on the shirt size, the thing does not fit him at all, the sleeves go past his hands, Tommy having to roll them up with a sigh as he buttons up the damn shirt. 

He stares at the bed beside him, debating on if he really needs to go back to sleep, but then thinks over his current choices, take a nap, or go talk to Techno again, and he decides that maybe sleeping right now doesn’t sound so bad. 

As he lies down, staring up at the ceiling, Tommy thinks back to yesterday, and wonders a bit on what Tubbo is doing, how he’s doing. 

He then pushes those thoughts aside, because all they bring is an ache to his heart, and he looks at the cape resting at the foot of the bed, huffing and turning over, facing the wall. 

After a minute, he quickly sits up and grabs the cape, tugging it over himself, and throwing a blanket over that to hide the red cloth. He falls asleep soon enough, forcing away pestering questions in his head as to why that interaction went startlingly well this morning. 

Techno busies himself downstairs with the fire, poking at it and keeping the flame going so the house stays warm. He has multiple ideas running around in his head, and he’s already planning a few things, but they get interrupted by a knock at the door, Techno turning his head to the front. 

He stands to his feet, walking up to the door with only a slight bit of caution, because he’s already fairly sure who’s on the other side, he recognizes Phil’s knock. 

Sure enough, he opens the door and finds Phil on the other side, a shiny compass held in his hand as he looks to Techno with a solemn face. 

  
“Oh, thank god, you’re here, you will not  _ believe _ the morning I’ve had.” Techno sighs, Phil’s face going slightly confused yet amused at Techno’s tone. “Tommy is impossible sometimes, I swear.” 


	4. House becomes a home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws confetti* this story has become my most popular one! Which is good, because I love attention!
> 
> (But also thank you for the kudos and the comments and the HITS HOLY F U CK)
> 
> yeah yeah, I'm tired, have a chap

Phil’s eyes go wide as he glances behind Techno, his voice quiet and just barely hesitant. “Tommy’s here? When did he-” Phil cuts himself off, his hands tightening around the compass in his grip as he lingers just outside the doorway. 

Phil looks slightly more tired than usual, Techno notes, and it doesn’t escape him from how Phil’s wrapped in several layers, new clothes specifically to keep the cold out from traveling over. There’s a sword at his hip, and an axe at his back, underneath his cape. A brown, worn satchel is slung over his shoulder, looking a bit big for just having supplies on hand. 

“Found him in the field last night.” Techno shrugs a shoulder, stepping to the side as Phil walks in, nodding at Techno. “He’s sleeping upstairs right now.” Techno tilts his chin to the stairs nearby as he closes the door gently behind Phil. 

Phil looks up the stairs, his eyes narrowing with a split second of slight anger that makes Techno  _ really _ interested as to exactly how bad the exile went. Then Phil’s eyes go soft, and Techno can see how just a bit of stress leaves his shoulders, with the confirmation Tommy is alright.

“You wanna say hi to him?” Techno asks, already climbing the stairs before Phil answers. Phil follows not a second later, just behind him, steps silent. 

“I don’t want to wake him up.” Phil says, but he still leans over Techno’s shoulder as Techno reaches for the doorknob, opening the door as quietly as possible. 

The room is slightly dim from Techno not opening the curtains on his windows, and he can see Tommy’s hair just barely peeking out from underneath the covers, quiet snoring you can barely hear, proving the kid is out cold. 

“Oh.” Phil whispers, leaning his chin onto Techno’s shoulder, smiling. Techno closes the door just as quietly as before, the two of them taking a step back from the door, standing in the hallway. 

“It’s good to see him.” Phil says softly, clasping his hands together in front of him, popping his knuckles absentmindedly. 

“Not for  _ me _ .” Techno responds, although his tone is light. “He’s swearing at me with all this teenage angst and trying to run outside into the freezing cold without any  _ shoes _ , then five minutes later he’s looking like a kicked puppyㅡ I don’t know how to deal with that, that’s like your thing.” 

“My thing?” Phil laughs, covering his smile with a hand over his mouth. “I’m sure you didn’t deal with it  _ that _ badly. You can talk to Tommy without destroying something.”

He watches Techno go down the stairs, pausing halfway down the steps to look up at Phil, a gleam in his eyes that Phil knows far too well, and-

"Phil, I wanna destroy l'manburg." Techno announces, Phil having to choke down another laugh because didn’t he  _ just _ say-

"I thought you had retired." Phil grins, his voice almost teasing as he goes down the steps, walking past Techno to get downstairs. "No more of your violent, anarchist ways."

"I mean, I was." 

Techno pauses for a moment, looks behind him to the hall where Tommy is resting before finally walking all the way down the stairs, and Phil follows his gaze as he waits at the bottom, immediately catching on with a smile. 

"But, y'know, retirement is just so boring, so-"

"Ah, sure, that's why." Phil snickers, Techno making a face.

“ _ So _ ,” Techno stresses, bumping his elbow into Phil’s shoulder as he walks past, towards the kitchen. “I’m thinking, polish my weapons, gather some supplies, possibly assassinate a whole group of peopleㅡ oh, you want some soup?” He asks, looking back to Phil, stopping by the doorway of the kitchen. 

Phil stands at the bottom of the stairs, snickering to himself before sighing, shaking his head. “Yeah, sure.” Techno gives a slightly prideful nod when Phil smiles at him, turning around to go prepare said food. 

Following Techno into the kitchen, Phil watches as Techno goes to grab a bowl, and he spots the cape that’s lying on the table, a familiar dark green.

“Is this mine?” Phil asks, walking up to the table, picking up the cloth from the table, holding it up. 

Techno gives a glance behind him, humming. “Yea, Tommy had it when he was traveling over here. He also already ate, just so you know.” 

“That’s good.” Phil responds, crumpling the fabric in his hands as he wonders how it must’ve been for Tommy to just run like that. To be completely on his own, having nothing but the clothes on his back and his stubbornness to keep going. 

Phil takes off his satchel and sits down in the chair beside him, eyes stuck on the cape held in his hand. “Everything is tense over in l’manburg. I had just come back from mining, I wasn’t around when Tommy ran out, but I saw the aftermath.” 

Techno glances to Phil, raising his eyebrows. “Aftermath?”

“My front door is broken, and so is Quackity’s arm.” Phil says with a nonchalant tone, throwing down the cape back onto the table. “I had asked around for details on where they sent off Tommy, but there wasn’t anywhere specific. It was just ‘away from l’manburg’.” 

Techno puts down a bowl for Phil, handing a spoon over with it. “Yeah, well, he apparently found your compass in your house when he was running around. He didn’t know it pointed towards me, but he followed it either way.” 

“I’m glad he did. You’re better than him being in the wilderness.” Phil takes the bowl from Techno, stirring it with his spoon and eating a spoonful of it. 

Techno eyes the bag hanging on the chair Phil’s sitting on, curious. “What’s that?” He asks, pulling a chair out, sitting across from Phil. 

“Hm? Oh. Some supplies to help keep me going along. I don’t spend a lot of time in l’manburg anymore.” Phil shrugs, holding back a sigh. It’s part of the reason why he wasn’t there for Tommy’s exile. 

While Phil owned property in the town, he barely stayed around, instead choosing to consistently go out of l’manburg, always busy with gathering resources, exploring, doing anything other than be in the conflict that was Dream and everyone else.

He couldn’t stand it. At this point, the only reason he visited there regularly was to check up on Wilbur, who was always happy to greet Phil, and to see how Tommy was doing, although it was always a bit difficult to keep the teen in one spot so they could have a proper conversation. 

“You have a home over there.” Techno points out, thinking back to when he visited that house, just to grab some supplies before running out of the town before being spotted. 

“I own  _ property _ over there.” Phil corrects, and he wants to laugh at how Techno’s face looks just a bit happy over that sentence. “I really only go to l’manburg to check up on the people. These days, though…” Phil sighs, leaning an elbow onto the table. 

“Do you have to live there?” Techno asks, fiddling with his hands under the table, Phil raising his eyebrows. Techno leans forward on the table. “Do you actually side with l’manburg as a whole?” 

“Hm.” Phil sips his soup for a moment, Techno looking a little impatient for an answer, a slight frown on his face, and it amuses the hell out of Phil. “Not really. I don’t agree with...a lot of it.” Phil glances to the other room, both him and Techno thinking of Tommy. 

“So you don’t have to stay?” Techno asks, Phil tilting his head. 

“...Are you going somewhere with this?” Phil asks, holding back a grin. 

“You don’t have to go back, you could live somewhere else, or nearbyㅡ I mean, there’s the room upstairs that you always use on certain nights, and, it’s beneficial, I mean, I wouldn’t mind-” 

Techno pauses, his mouth clicking shut as he realizes he’s rambling. “......Youuu could stay. With me.” He says, clearing his throat. “If you want.” He adds. 

Phil smiles, Techno leaning back in his chair and looking at the table, focusing on the light scratches across the wood rather than how Phil is giving him a warm smile. 

“You sure?”

“I am very sure.” Techno nods, glancing to the green emerald hanging from Phil’s ear. He still hasn’t taken it off since Techno gave it, and every single time Techno sees it, it tugs something in his chest. 

Phil nods, laughing a little. “Sure, Techno. If you don’t mind-”

“I don’t mind.” Techno affirms, nodding again, clasping his hands together. “We could work together, it’ll be fun.” 

“It would be. Although,” Phil’s mind strays to l’manburg once more. He doesn’t have much he cares about over there, now that Tommy’s out, but he still has the issue of Wilbur.

Both him and Techno jump at the sudden sound of knocking, but it’s not coming from the front door, and Techno looks to the right, to see someone by the window. 

Or rather floating by the window. 

“Hey guys!” Wilbur greets them, waving a hand with a happy smile, floating outside above the ground with a backpack slung over his shoulder. 

It’s a bit of a strange sight, seeing Wilbur be...Wilbur, but Techno’s somewhat adapted to it, like everyone else. Wilbur’s just happy to be with anyone he cares about, and disregards the laws of gravity and physics whenever he wants to these days. Sometimes it’s funny. 

Either way, Wilbur’s floating what oughta be at least a few feet off the ground to reach the window, and Techno’s not sure if it’s the frost on his window or Wilbur himself that’s making Wilbur look a bit pale.

“Hey, Wilbur!” Phil leans back in his chair, waving back, Wilbur beaming through the glass with a smile. “Go over to the door, Techno will let you in.” He says, looking to Techno expectantly. 

Both him and Techno look at each other, sharing a knowing look of both relief and amusement, and Techno gets up from his seat, pointing a finger to the front door so Wilbur knows to move away from the window. 

“Okay!” Wilbur nods, going over to the front door without a sound, his feet landing onto the front porch as Techno opens the door. 

Techno’s a little disappointed to see Wilbur in his current state, skin a bit too pale, the ends of his hair slightly wisping into transparency. His clothes always seem to lose color, a dulled down version of what the fabric should be, and although his expression is always overjoyed whenever he sees Techno, his face never holds the warm colors that alive people should have. 

It’s still nice to see him, even if each time Techno has a hint of disappointment, of Wilbur being so dulled.

He likes to hope that maybe one day he’ll hold color again. Sometimes there’s moments where it feels like he does, where Wilbur gives him a genuine smile that holds a bit more behind it, and Techno swears there’s more color in Wilbur’s cheeks, his sweater is just a bit more vibrant. 

Unfortunately, he’s never hanging around Wilbur often enough to really catch those moments. 

“Technoblade!” Wilbur cheers, jumping on his feet and practically tackling him as soon as the door is open, Techno stumbling back as Wilbur wraps his arms around him. He ignores the usual coldness that Will always holds and gives a half hug back, patting Will on the back. 

“Hello, Wilbur.” 

Wilbur lets go of Techno, and immediately walks past him, right into Techno’s house like he belongs. Personally, Techno doesn’t mind it, and he closes the door, holding a small smile on his face. 

“Philza!” Wilbur cheers again, Phil just getting out of his seat before he’s also hugged by Wilbur. 

“Hey, Will.” Phil hugs Wilbur right back, and as Wilbur steps back, Techno watches in fascination as he kicks his feet off the ground, floating over the table with ease. Phil sits back in his chair like it’s a normal occurrence. It probably is, to be honest. 

Phil leans back, tilting his head up to Wilbur, who’s tapping his shoes on Techno’s roof. “What brings you here, mate?” 

“Tommy!” Wilbur says, flipping around in the air, taking the backpack on his shoulders off and lowering it down onto the table, the bag landing with a small thump.

“Tommy?” Techno asks, going to sit back in a chair across Phil. He pulls out a chair beside him, in case Wilbur wants to stop floating around in the air like a runaway balloon.

“Yea! He wasn’t at l’manburg, and no one was telling me where he went, so I saw  _ you _ leaving-” He points to Phil, flipping upside down, his head next to Phil’s. “And I thought, ‘oh, maybe Phil knows where he is!’ So I followed you.” 

“Well, he  _ is _ here-” Phil carefully starts, Wilbur lighting up. 

“Is he?! Can I-”

“He’s sleeping.” Techno says, Wilbur’s face falling just the smallest bit. Techno slightly regrets his words at that face. 

“Oh.” He floats like that for a moment, his arms hanging down as he doesn’t stay the right side up. “That’s okay. I can wait.” 

“You can. You want to stay with us in the meantime?” Phil asks, Wilbur humming. 

“I guess so… l’manburg is not very fun right now, everyone is sad. I brought blue.” Wilbur spins right side up, floating down and kneeling on the table, opening up his backpack. 

“Sit in a chair, Will.” Phil suggests, Will moving from the table to the chair, holding the bag in his arms. He digs his arm in it, bringing out a handful of...blue.

He gives it to Techno, who holds it in his hands with a slightly confused face, but he holds onto it anyway. 

“Would you like some blue, Phil?” Wilbur asks, digging into his bag again. 

“Sure, Will.” Phil smiles, reaching a hand across the table. Wilbur gives a matching smile back. 

\---

Tommy wakes up abruptly, snapping his eyes open to look at the ceiling above him, breathing in sharply. His head is screaming at him to get out and to leave, so he swings his legs out of bed, getting to his feet, before realizing-

Wait. This is Techno’s room. 

He’s still in his house. 

His heart is still racing, and his head is spinning with a million thoughts, so Tommy takes a deep breath in, letting it out as he looks around, sitting back down on the mattress behind him. 

The curtains are still shut, and it makes the room awfully dim, to where Tommy can’t really see anything. He looks down at the bed beside him and sees the blanket he’s thrown aside, and the red cape that’s fallen to the floor in his haste to suddenly get up. 

After a moment of saying ‘fuck it’, he grabs it off the floor, getting to his feet again, wrapping it around his shoulders. It’s warm, and Tommy will steal Techno’s shit, he doesn’t care. 

Tommy hears faint voices coming downstairs, through the floorboards, and he looks to the door, debating on if he should go greet whoever is in the house. 

He decides on sneaking through the house, and he walks quietly over to the door, wrapping his hand around the doorknob, opening it as slowly as possible. He slips out into the hallway, closing it behind him with the same volume, letting go and raising his hands up, as if he touches anything else, it might give himself away. 

Walking down the stairs is easy enough, and he trails a hand against the wall as he goes down, one careful step after another. Once he’s down stairs, he scans the room and finds that the voices are coming from the kitchen. Curiosity outwins everything else, and he carefully makes his way over, watching the floor with all his attention. 

Tommy leans around the doorway, careful to stay hidden, seeing Phil, Techno, and Wilbur sitting at the table, talking amongst themselves. 

There’s a bag slung over the back of Phil’s chair, and his cape that Tommy took laying over his lap. Techno has a bowl of soup in his hands, and Wilbur cradles a bag in his arms, reaching into it every now and then. The table is littered with Wilbur’s ‘blue’, which, Tommy still isn’t entirely sure what that even is made up of. 

Tommy lowers himself to the ground, leaning against the doorway, listening on their words. 

“Wilbur, I want to ask something.” Phil says, Wilbur raising his head, eyes bright. “What do you think about leaving l’manburg?”

Tommy freezes, his eyes stuck on Wilbur.  _ What _ ? 

Wilbur looks a bit confused, his face scrunching up. “Leaving? To where?”

“Here.” Techno says, arms crossed, leaned back in his chair, holding some blue in his arms. “Phil’s going to be staying here with me, instead of going to live in l’manburg. You want to join?”

Wilbur frowns, tapping his fingers onto the sides of his chin in thought. “What about my house? And l’manburg? Don’t you have a home over there, Phil?” Wilbur asks, Phil shrugging.

“It was always a bit temporary, I think. We can have a new home here.” 

Tommy hears Phil’s voice saying that, his tone comforting and sure, but all Tommy feels is fear, because they’re  _ leaving _ . They’re leaving behind l’manburg. Tommy has to get back there, that’s the town he  _ needs _ to get back into, and they’re just leaving it behind?

He feels stung, somehow.

Wilbur blinks, processing Phil’s words. “Okay! I could do that, I don’t mind staying with you guys, I like you guys.” He smiles, reaching into his bag again. “Have some blue, Techno.”

“I have like a bunch of it already, Wilbur-”

“How much do you have in there?!”

“A lot!” 

Tommy slips away from the doorway, taking in a deep breath, trying to focus on being silent. His eyes fall to the front door again, and the three in the kitchen are laughing, loud enough to where Tommy might be able to-

He goes through the door, closing it shut behind him as quietly as possible, gritting his teeth at how the stone outside on the porch is cold against his socks. It’s snowing slightly, and he tugs at Techno’s cape around his shoulders, walking down the steps without a glance back. 

He stops at the edge of the bottom of the stair, where snow is sitting on the floor, and he glares at it, as if he looks at it angrily enough, it might melt out of his path. 

It doesn’t, and sighing under his breath, he walks off the edge, immediately swearing at the feeling of cold snow against his feet. He cannot make it far like this. He’s barely taken a few steps and he knows that there is no way he is going to be able to travel with no shoes through the snow. 

Taking a few steps forward, Tommy tilts his head up to one of the windows of the house, sticking himself to the wall, hoping no one will spot him. He sees Techno’s horse, standing in its stable, and has a moment where he thinks about stealing it, but he tells himself that it would probably just go badly. 

There are doors beside the stable though, connecting to the place underneath Techno’s house, and Tommy huffs, looking around, before curiosity overwhelms him and he makes his way to it, pushing the door open with a creak. 

It’s dim inside, so he leaves the doors open to let sunlight in so he can see. The floor is made up of frigid stone, and there’s a bunch of chests to the side, storage, probably. It’s honestly a bit bland, and Tommy supposes that’s the point, it’s just a basement. 

He walks through the small room, spinning around as he looks at the walls, sighing. His socks are damp from the snow outside, and he hates it, his feet are so cold, and he needs some goddamn  _ shoes _ . 

But as he’s walking around, his feet feel a strange dip in the ground, and he looks down at a small hole by the wall, in the shape of a small rectangle. 

His first thought is the stone getting chipped or something along those lines, but he looks a bit closer at the floor and finds lines in the floor, making up a large square. 

It’s a panel, Tommy realizes, and he kneels down, hands grasping at the small groove, tugging at it. It doesn’t budge, but Tommy’s sure he’s found something, so he pulls again, with all his might, and it moves, just enough to prove that it’s a thin stone cover for an opening of something. 

Now  _ really _ curious, Tommy takes a deep breath, heaving at the stone to pull it up, and pushing it across the floor, out of the way with a scraping of the stone. It reveals a ladder going down, and Tommy questions as to why Techno even  _ needs _ a double basement. 

Swinging his legs into the opening, Tommy puts his feet onto the rungs of the ladder, carefully lowering himself, trying to climb down. 

He does get down, by falling right through and slamming into the ground below, but he gets down, groaning and cursing for the weird angle of entering this, this, secret room of some sort. 

Pushing himself off the ground, Tommy nearly screams as he sees a zombie beside him, Tommy falling back and kicking his legs, scooting backwards away from the mob. 

He’s only a little relieved to find that it’s behind glass, not being able to put him in any sort of danger, and it also has a...pumpkin. On its head. 

Tommy feels like he faintly remembers Techno talking about his pets, which were just mobs, and Tommy definitely remembers thinking ‘what sort of person has  _ monsters _ for pets?’

There’s another mob right at the other side of the ladder, and Tommy scoots a little more back at seeing it, trapped behind glass, looking stupid with a pumpkin on it’s head, but still creeping Tommy out. 

There’s a huff behind him, and Tommy freezes, for a split second thinking that there’s yet another dangerous mob in this room. 

Then something damp sticks itself into the back of Tommy’s neck, and Tommy screams, turning around with wide eyes-

It’s a cow.

Tommy thinks he’s stopped breathing, entirely still as he sits up on his knees, staring at a small cow that sits comfortable on a patch of grass, staring at Tommy. 

“...hello.” Tommy mumbles, taking a breath in, letting it out shakily. The cow just huffs again, blinking at Tommy, and Tommy’s heart squeezes with the thought of Henry running through his mind. “Hi.” 

He scoots forward, looking over the animal, reaching a careful hand out. He ignores how his hand is trembling, nervous, and just keeps his eyes on the cow, which is so cute, what the fuck-

It presses its snout into Tommy’s hand, and Tommy decides that this is a good place to stay right now. He’s just not going to leave here for a while. The ground is kinda cold and his socks are wet but this is a nice place to chill. 

“Oh my god, hi.” Tommy whispers, scooting closer again, laughing. He pats his hand on the creature’s head, smiling at how it just blinks curiously at him, huffing with a small moo. 

“Hi.” Tommy repeats, and ignores how strained the word comes out, and instead of paying attention to how his eyes have gotten blurry with tears, he pats the cow on the head.

\---

Much to Tommy’s luck, when he had found the mob before and screamed, he screamed loud enough for Techno to just barely catch it through the floors of his house. 

Personally, Techno thought it was just some really weird internal thoughts, but his internal screaming is not that high pitched. 

So he gets out of his chair, putting Wilbur’s ‘blue’ onto the table (Jesus, how much does he have) and walks out of the kitchen. 

“Oh- Techno? Where are you going?” Wilbur asks, putting his backpack onto the table, leaning over the wood to watch Techno walk out. 

“Checking on Tommy.” Techno calls out, walking up the stairs with a certain rush to his pace. He hears Phil stand up out of his chair. 

“Oh, I want to help!” Wilbur says, and he jumps over the table, going after Techno and floating up the stairs. He passes Techno, and before Techno can even reach for the doorknob, Wilbur just waves and phases right through the door, Techno stopping in his tracks, staring at the wood. 

“Hey, Techno?” He hears from Wilbur a moment later. 

“Yeah?” Techno crosses his arms, choosing to just wait outside of the room. 

“Is this not the room Tommy’s in?”

Techno buffers, grabbing the doorknob and swinging it open. “What do you mean?”

He stands at the doorway, seeing Wilbur standing in the middle of the room, looking confused as he looks around. “Well, Tommy’s not here, for one.” Wilbur says, Techno looking at the empty bed. 

“I’VE LOST HIM!” Phil hears from upstairs, and decides to go out the front door, walking out to the porch, looking down and seeing disrupted snow at the bottom of the steps. “AND HE TOOK MY  _ CAPE _ !” 

“Techno!” Phil yells, hearing footsteps come down. Techno joins him outside soon enough, and he points down to the snow, Techno immediately walking down. 

Wilbur trails behind with curious eyes, looking to Phil for answers, who gives a half shrug and a wave for Wilbur to follow along. 

Techno goes past the corner of the house, seeing the basement door wide open, and he goes through it without a second through, stopping in a bit of shock as he sees the panel has been lifted up, moved out of the way. 

Phil follows behind him, standing behind Techno, looking down at the opening in the floor. “He’s found your pets?” 

Wilbur lingers by the doorway of the basement, frowning at the dimness of the room. “You need lights in here.” He suggests, Techno giving a vague sound of agreement just so Wilbur knows he heard him. 

Techno moves again, walking slowly to the opening on the ground, kneeling down and leaning in to check if Tommy’s actually in there. 

He sits back up with a sudden quickness, slight panic written on his face. 

“Oh no, what did he do?” Phil asks, crossing his arms and observing Techno’s face, which just screams ‘I am not qualified to do this’

“He’s crying.” Techno says quietly, scooting back from the opening, glancing at it with wide eyes. 

Phil pauses, dropping his arms. “What?”

“He’s crying, with my cow, Phil, Phil, this is your thing-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have spanish homework to work on. But you know what I'm gonna do instead??? ANYTHING OTHER THAN SPANISH HOMEWORK.
> 
> thanks for reading!!!
> 
> i'm gonna go procrastinate now! If you see a typo no you didn't!!! I'm too tired to check!!! :D


	5. Recognize your fellow allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know nobodyyyy

“You have a cow down there?” Wilbur whispers, matching Techno’s volume. 

“Phil-” Techno keeps scooting back, and Phil puts a hand to his face at how Techno is literally pushing himself into the corner, looking at the opening in the ground like it holds all the evils in the world, when in actuality it just holds Tommy crying. “I can  _ not _ do that, that is  _ not _ in my skill range-”

“Alright, alright.” Phil holds his hands up, Techno getting to his feet, standing stiffly by the wall, as if Phil’s going to drag him down the hole by the collar. “Gimme a minute.” 

He walks over to the opening in the ground, sitting down and swinging his legs in, climbing down as he hears Wilbur ask Techno, “So why is your cow down there?”

Phil climbs down easily enough, stepping off of the ladder and observing the creatures that greet him the second he comes down, making inhuman noises behind the glass.

He gives a small smile to the zombie on the left, knowing that this one was Techno’s favorite. He only gives the skeleton on the right a frown, though, because he did not forget how many times he got shot with an arrow when trying to transport that damned thing. 

Turning his attention away from the mobs, Phil turns his head to the other side of the small room, taking a breath and telling himself to be calm, even with the picture in front of him that makes him want to hold a hand to his chest. 

Techno was right about the crying part, Tommy’s curled up next to the cow, face shoved into its neck as he sobs, keeping a hand petting at its head as his shoulders shake, small gasps for air sounding out. It looks heartbreaking, and Phil knows that pity is the last thing Tommy would ever want, but he can’t help but feel sorry for the kid. 

“Oh, Tommy.” Phil says quietly, Tommy’s hand stopping, resting on the top of the cow's head as Phil walks up to him, kneeling down on the ground in front of him. 

It’s hard to look at, seeing Tommy so out of character, no longer loud and full of spite, but rather just showing his true colors, that at heart, he’s really just a sweet kid who’s gotten too used to the playing of war. 

That fact makes Phil want to  _ change _ something, and he’s not sure if that change will be to give Tommy reassuring words and a hug, or for Phil to conquer the world as he knows it so that there will  _ be _ no problems that ever force Tommy to be as distraught as this ever again. 

Eh, knowing all their habits, it’ll probably be both. 

“I don’t wanna talk.” Tommy rasps, voice slightly muffled with his face hidden away into the cow’s neck. He wraps his arms around said cow, and it doesn’t seem to mind, just flicking its tail and giving Phil a curious look. 

“You sure? You seem upset.” Phil asks, reaching a hand out, patting the cow on its side. It’s a creature of comfort for Tommy at the moment, and he’s grateful for that. 

“I’m not  _ upset _ .” Tommy protests, sniffling. “I just, I just like cows.”

“Yeah?” Phil sits with his legs tucked under him, and he leans forward, adjusting his hat on his head. “It seems to like you too.”

“I didn’t even know Techno  _ had _ a cow.” Tommy mumbles, lowering his head and pressing his forehead against the neck of the cow, patting a hand at its back. “Even less, one underneath his  _ basement _ .” 

Phil hums, looking over Tommy’s clothes, holding back a small smile at the way the shirt hangs far too loose, the sleeves rolled up on Tommy’s arms. He’s a scrawny little thing, it makes sense for Techno’s shirt to just not fit, but Phil can’t help but feel touched at seeing it, paired with the stolen cape over Tommy’s shoulders. 

There’s bandages over his left arm, Phil thinking back to Techno telling him over how badly he thinks the escape might’ve been. Tommy hadn’t given proper details, but from Techno’s theories, and from Phil seeing the damage back at l’manburg, it’s not hard to figure out that Tommy put up a fight, as much as he could until he had no choice left. 

“Why did you even go down here?” Phil asks, leaning back, placing his palms down on the floor behind him. 

Tommy raises his head, looking at Phil with watery eyes, a frown on his face. It looks like he’s mostly calmed down from the worst of it, but he’s still worked up, and Phil feels like that needs to be addressed, unless they want it all to spill out at some other inconvenient time. 

“I was going to try leaving.” Tommy admits, shrugging a shoulder, lowering his eyes back to the cow beside him, dragging a hand along its head. “But I don’t have any fucking shoes, and the snow is cold, so I snooped around. Better than standing around in wet socks.” Tommy mutters the last part bitterly, Phil glancing at his feet to find that true to his word, his shoes are nowhere to be found. 

“Where were you planning on going?” Phil asks, raising an eyebrow, watching Tommy trail his hand along the back of the cow.

“Anywhere other than here.” Tommy responds flatly, looking back up to Phil, rubbing a fist at his eyes. 

“Techno isn’t that bad.” Phil tries suggesting, Tommy scoffing. 

“He’s a bitch. And a traitor.” Tommy says, rolling his eyes. “Dragged me into his house to probably, rob me, or some shit.” 

“You don’t even have anything of value on you, Toms.” Phil sighs, getting to his feet, dusting the dirt off his knees. “Wait here.”

“I’m not getting up anytime soon.” Tommy answers, turning his attention back to the cow, now much calmer than before. 

Phil hums to acknowledge that he heard, and he walks back over to the ladder, climbing up and lifting himself out of the room, sitting on the stone above, seeing Techno and Wilbur standing by the open doors, having a light conversation. Techno’s leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, while Wilbur hovers just above the ground, voice cheerful. 

“Techno.” Phil starts, Techno looking away from Phil, his face dropping into one of doom, standing up straight within a second. 

“No.” He immediately says, Phil smiling fondly, but with a slight threat behind his eyes. 

“He’s mostly upset with you-”

“No, nope, Phil, how am  _ I _ supposed to cheer him up? He hates me!” Techno throws his arms up into the air, Phil laughing under his breath, swinging his legs out of the opening, getting to his feet. 

“He’s not crying anymore. But I think you should try talking to him, try lessening the...tension.” Phil waves his hands, Techno snorting. 

“It’s a one-sided battle he’s running, Phil, I don’t have much against him, he, however, hates me as a whole, with a burning passion.” 

“Is Tommy upset?” Wilbur cuts in, Phil turning his head to him, Wilbur’s eyes full of concern, and for a split second, Phil swears that his eyes aren’t so grey, vibrant with worry, for just a second. 

“Just a bit.” Phil supplies, keeping his voice steady. “He’s just having a hard time, coping. At least your cow helps.” 

“He’s cryin’ on my cow.” Techno mutters, staring at the floor with a frown. 

“I have something that can help!” Wilbur claps his hands together, speeding off, half running, half floating through the air as he circles around outside to run back into the house. He comes back in less than a minute, holding something in his hands. 

He gives it to Techno, who takes it with an amused face. “Blue. Of course.” Techno says, smiling down at the blue in his hand. 

“It’ll help.” Wilbur nods, looking very sure of himself. 

“...and why did you give it to me?” 

“Because you’re going to talk with Tommy! Phil said so.” Wilbur grins, his voice light and happy, but Techno feels like there’s some sarcasm hidden under there. 

Techno looks to Phil, who crosses his arms, matching Wilbur’s smile, looking at Techno. 

“No.” Techno tries, gripping the blue in his hand. 

“Techno.” Phil says simply, his smile dropping into an expectant look, and, oh goddamit, he’s looking  _ disappointed- _

“Mmmmnng.” Techno glances at the opening in the ground, looking to Wilbur, who gives a thumbs up, very supportive. “ _ Fine _ . But if this goes badly, it’s not my fault.”

“Of course.” Phil nods, Techno walking past him, and just dropping down the opening, landing on his feet with a loud click from the small heels on his shoes hitting the ground. 

He stands up straight, turning around and seeing his pets, giving a small tap on the glass before giving his attention to Tommy, who skillfully ignores Techno entirely. Techno’s cow has it’s head on Tommy’s lap, and Tommy’s looking at it like it’s the world, and Techno feels a slight bit of unreasonable jealousy for his  _ cow _ being on better terms with Tommy rather than him. 

Techno has no clue on how to start this conversation, so he just holds up what he has in his hand, clearing his throat. Tommy doesn’t raise his head, but he moves his eyes to Techno, his expression just screaming stubborn anger. 

“I got some blue for you. It’s from Wilbur.” Techno says, Tommy’s face softening just a bit. 

“Fantastic. I don’t want it from you.” Tommy says, raising his chin up as he pats his hand onto the cow’s head.

“Good for you, have it anyway.” Techno walks up to Tommy, crouching down to his level, leaning back on his heels as he holds out the blue to Tommy. After a moment, Tommy takes it from Techno, putting it to the side. 

Tommy turns his attention back to the cow, and Techno stays low to the ground, suffering a bit in the silence that hangs in the air between them. 

“Honest question,” Techno starts off, because he might as well make an attempt. “How did you find this room so easily? The panel is hidden in the floor for a  _ reason _ .” 

Tommy looks up at Techno, debating if he should give an actual response, and he does, after a moment. “I felt the little hole in the floor through my socks.  _ Maybe _ I would’ve missed it if someone didn’t steal my fucking shoes.”

“I didn’t steal your shoes.” Techno immediately says back, voice deadpan.

“You stole my shoes.” Tommy repeats, his tone copying Techno’s.

Techno shakes his head, waving a hand as Tommy makes a face at him. “No, no, I _put_ _away_ your shoes. And you know why I did that?”

“Because you’re an asshole.” Tommy says, with zero hesitation. 

“Nope, not that.” Techno points a finger to Tommy, Tommy almost pouting. “It was so you wouldn’t go do something stupid, like run off on your own in the middle of the freezing wilderness.” 

“If I want to run off into the wild, Techno, I’ll do so if I wish.” Tommy says, raising his chin and saying it with a sense of pride. Techno doesn’t feel impressed. 

“I’d...rather you not.” 

“Oh really?” Tommy raises his eyebrows, his eyes staring at Techno, as if he’s daring him to try something. “Why?”

“Because.” Techno gives as a response, but it’s weak and he knows it, because Tommy only narrows his eyes, waiting for a better answer. 

Really, truly, there’s a lot of reasons. One of them being the bandages around Tommy’s arm, or how Wilbur is above them right now, grey and dull in a way that Techno can’t fix. 

Another reason is because he’s fairly sure if he let Tommy out of his sight now, when he’s lost so much and has so little, he feels like Tommy would end up falling into some sort of problem that he could never dream of getting out of. 

“Because...you have very little self preservation.” Techno says, instead, Tommy not looking entirely satisfied with the answer. As much as Techno would like to voice out the way he wants Tommy to be okay, he’s not sure he’ll ever find those words. “I mean-”

“I don’t care. I don’t like you.” Tommy waves a hand, fed up with Techno’s presence as a whole. “Go away.”

Techno stands up, Tommy looking up at him. Tommy doesn’t anything to do with him, he’s a traitor, for fucks sake, he doesn’t know why-

“Your shoes are upstairs, in one of my chests.” Techno says, cutting off Tommy’s thought process. “I have to go swing by a village nearby for some supplies. Do you want to come with?”

Tommy blinks, and before he knows it, he’s already taking the chance, nodding his head. “Fine. If it means I’ll finally get my shoes back.” 

Techno holds a hand out for Tommy to grab so he can stand up, but Tommy ignores it, instead gently pushing the cow away and getting to his feet by himself, brushing off dirt and picking up the blue from the floor. Techno doesn’t say anything about it. 

\---

When Tommy comes back up with Techno, Phil looks at least a little happy, Wilbur giving a bright greeting to Tommy.

The four of them go back up the porch, closing the basement doors behind them, and going back inside, Tommy following Phil and Wilbur into the kitchen as Techno goes through a chest in the main room. 

“Me and Techno are going to go to a village nearby, to go pick up some supplies, or something.” Tommy tells Phil, who stands beside the table, looking through his bag. 

“Ooh, that sounds fun.” Wilbur smiles, sitting on top of the table, crossing his legs. “I would come with, but I kinda want to hang out with Phil.” 

Phil smiles warmly to Wilbur, looking up from his back. “I’ll enjoy your company.”

“I’m staying with Phil.” Wilbur nods, Tommy rolling his eyes. 

Techno comes into the kitchen with a pair of shoes on hand, and an extra layer of clothes over his shirt. “Phil, hey, so, since we’re sorta doing our own thing right now, outside and away from l’manburg as a whole,” 

He gives the shoes to Tommy, who takes them, but doesn’t go to put them on, interested in Techno’s words. “-then that means certain rules don’t apply, right? Or we can just disregard them.”

Phil pauses, turning his head over to Techno, only slightly concerned as to what Techno’s thinking. “Which rules are you thinking of?”

“Flying.” Techno says, and Tommy’s attention goes right to Phil, real quick, because, okay, that’s something he’ll totally get behind.

Part of Dream’s rules for his world was no flying of any sort. Too hard to manage, in his words, and it wasn’t much of an important rule until Phil came along. 

Phil put his wings away the first day he got here, and Tommy won’t lie with saying that he’s a little disappointed that he wasn’t able to see Phil use them in a way he loved so much, flying through the skies with ease. Personally, he thought the wings on Phil’s back were cool, and he’s always had a slight bit of spite over not being able to see them anymore, simply because Dream said they were not allowed. 

“Oh.” Phil thinks for a moment, considering it, before deciding that one way or another, they’re going to be against Dream, one more thing rebelling against wouldn’t hurt. 

He looks through his back again, nodding. “You’re right. Maybe my feathers have grown back enough to let me fly again.” Phil says lightly, smiling at the possibility of being able to use his wings again. He always found flying so convenient, and figuring out other ways of travel was just annoying after having his wings for so long. 

Phil realizes it’s gone quiet, and he lifts his head from his bag, seeing the other three staring. 

“...what do you mean grow back?” Wilbur asks, face confused. 

“Uh.” Phil starts, and sees the way Techno’s narrowing his eyes, already fitting pieces together, and oh, wait, fantastic, he might not like this. “Well, Dream’s rule was for me to not use my wings, right? I agreed on putting them away, and not using them.”

“Phil.” Techno says, Phil moving on quickly. 

“But, he didn’t think that was enough of an assurance, so…” Phil waves a hand, and Tommy glances to Techno, holding back the way he wants to ask why does he look so angry, what does-

“He cut my flight feathers off, and told me to keep my wings hidden.” Phil finishes, Tommy’s eyes going wide. 

“What?!” Tommy yells, and Techno holds his hands up, taking a step back, eyes burning. “Wha- He-he can’t  _ do _ that, you- those are  _ your _ wings-!” 

Tommy hated Dream before, of course he did, why wouldn’t he, the green bastard has done plenty to piss him off, but this just  _ hurts _ . Because while it’s not Tommy’s wings, while it’s not his ability to fly, anyone who knows Phil properly knows how much he loves traveling through the sky. 

“You can’t fly at all?” Wilbur asks, his voice sad, and Techno steps out of the kitchen to go pace in the other room, huffing. 

“I might be able to. I haven’t checked on how they’re growing out in a while.” Phil shrugs, Wilbur still looking conflicted. 

“Can I see? Your wings, I mean.” Tommy asks, his hands digging into the torn shoes in his grasp. Phil smiles at Tommy, but it’s with a hint of sadness, and Tommy feels a hint of respect at knowing that Phil had to give that up, in order to work with the rules of the world. 

Phil complies, pulling off a cloak over his shoulder, taking off a coat. His own clothes have always been specially made to accommodate his wings, one way or another, and while Phil hadn’t been able to use them at all, he still never changed the way his clothes were designed. 

His wings show up after a moment, appearing from Phil’s back, black and grey feathers, like Tommy’s always remembered. But the light white ones at the bottom, the ones that always contrasted against his other feathers, they're snipped off, a jagged line faintly shown on the feathers, evidence on how they were cut a while ago. They’ve grown out, true to Phil’s word, but Tommy can still see how they were cut.

He hugs his shoes to his chest, trying to swallow down the feeling in his chest, his head thinking one thing, stuck on it: ‘Dream did  _ this’ _ .

“Will you be able to fly again?” Wilbur asks, frowning. 

“Yes, of course. It’ll just take time, maybe.” Phil answers, his voice reassuring. 

Techno sighs loudly from the other room, sounding more annoyed than angry, thankfully, because Tommy doesn’t particularly feel like being around an angry Technoblade. That’s just a bit intimidating. 

“I need a distraction! Tommy, shoes on! We’re going now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its THREE AM on a SCHOOL NIGHT-
> 
> but hey-o this was a chapter I loved writing :D 
> 
> Have a nice day, drink water, get sleep, and take care of yourself, or else I will reach through this screen and slap you with a sock


	6. One step forward, two steps back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing process is like daydreaming, but on drugs, then frantically trying to put that daydreaming into words, then polishing the words so that way it's like, appealing. 
> 
> (Also I realized I've been posting SUPER often on like three different SBI stories, and it's gotten to the point where I woke up at one am, stared at the ceiling, and my head fired into writing mode, and I was describing a snowy biome in my head while half asleep. Geeez)
> 
> Anyway, haha, have a chapter

  
  
  


Tommy takes a double take towards the doorway, where Techno leans onto the frame with a disgruntled look, his eyes yelling murder and his posture screaming ‘i haven’t slept in days and I am THIS close to snapping-’

He pulls out a chair from the table, fumbling with his shoes and tugging them on, Techno walking back into the other room and pacing again with a groan, Phil shaking his head and smiling. 

“They’ll grow back, Techno, don’t worry about it-” Phil says reassuringly, telling Wilbur to pick up his mess of blue on the table. 

“It doesn’t matter that they’ll grow back, Phil, it’s that- oh, I’m gonna  _ kill _ him.” Techno answers back, and even with his voice as monotone as it always is, Tommy can hear the underlying anger, of how he’s very serious about it. 

“No you won’t.” Phil calls back, pulling out some thread and looking it over, putting back in his bag and deeming that he has what he needs. He swings it over his shoulder, walking to the doorway and looking at Techno. “Not yet, at least. Let me have a hit at him.” He grins, holding a fist up. Techno huffs, his shoulders relaxing for a moment. 

Tommy raises his gaze from his shoes to look at Phil’s wings again, and he can’t help but feel the sting at his chest at seeing that same jagged line across the feathers. 

Phil’s wings are pressed shut, tucked in, in the sort of way that Tommy knows he does when he tries to not hit anyone with them, shifting them close to his back so he won’t accidentally hit someone when passing in a hallway, or something. 

But that’s not how he usually holds them, and Tommy doesn’t know what to do with that information, with the idea that Dream’s made Phil wary of his own  _ wings _ , of the consequences of having them. 

It makes him feel upset, a quiet anger simmering, and Tommy tries to tuck it away, deep down. It’s a shitty thing to do, it adds another reason as to why Dream isn’t his friend, but it’s not his problem. 

It’s not his concern. 

He still can’t get the heavy feeling off his chest. He focuses on tying his stupid laces instead. 

“Surely we don’t have to be so mean to Dream?” Wilbur mumbles, straightening up with an armful of blue, piling it back into his backpack. The table is still littered with so much blue as Wilbur ponders over his relationship with the owner of this world. Phil’s wings were a consequence of just being in this world, and while it’s sad, and it makes Wilbur want to hold blue to his chest, surely it’s just a misunderstanding.

“I had thought he was kinda friendly, actually.” Wilbur adds, lifting his head to Phil, giving a hesitant smile. 

Tommy looks up from tying his shoes at that, giving Wilbur a face, but Phil interjects before he can say anything. 

“He tried killing Tommy.” Phil says simply, Wilbur freezing mid-way in picking up blue. He stares at the color in his hands with thought, as if he’s processing something, blinking. 

“Ah.” Wilbur says, nodding, then he smiles again, as if he’s about to say something pleasant, but instead, he just says, “In that case, I think I would also like to hit him too.” 

Tommy snorts, shaking his head as Phil chuckles along with him. Techno leans back into the kitchen, bumping shoulders with Phil as he crosses his arms. 

“Good on you, Will, glad to know your priorities are in place. Tommy, did you forget how to tie your shoes or something?” Techno asks, his voice slightly teasing. 

“I’m going, I’m going.” Tommy tugs at his shoe laces, scoffing and getting to his feet. Part of him wishes he had some proper armor, some better clothes rather than his wrinkled pants, slightly dirty from his frantic running around l’manburg yesterday. Techno’s cape still sits over his shoulders, and it dwarfs him, swallowing him up in red cloth as he stands up straight. 

He walks over to Techno, but him and Phil are in the doorway, and he has to stand there in the middle of the kitchen as they both look him over with matching faces of judgement. 

“Is that enough to keep him warm?” Phil asks, turning his head to Techno as if Tommy isn’t right there. 

“I am  _ fine _ .” Tommy crosses his arms underneath the cape, Phil giving a smile before walking into the other room as Techno responds. 

“It’s just a quick trip to the village, the snowfall has lightened up anyway.” Techno says, turning around with Phil and walking over to the front door, a new bag hanging over his shoulder. Tommy assumes that there are emeralds inside. “Your room is the same as I’ve left it, there’s still the extra armor I made, underneath the hatch.”

“Still under the rug?” Phil asks, going up the stairs as Techno opens the door, Tommy going out. 

“Yup. Bye, Wilbur.” 

“Goodbye!” Tommy hears, and he walks down the stone steps, now a lot easier on his feet since he’s not just wearing socks. Techno follows him down to the snow, then goes past, waving a hand. 

“This way.” Techno says, footsteps crunching through the snow, walking off in a certain direction. 

“We’re just going on foot?” Tommy asks, following behind. “You have a horse.” Said horse stands comfortably in it’s stable next to the house, snow sitting on top of the roof. 

“We can walk. Think of it as payback for breaking into my basement.”

“Oh, fuck you.” 

\---

Phil walks up the steps of the house slowly, the wood creaking quietly, his footsteps tapping as he walks down the short hallway, to the second door waiting. 

Stopping in front of it, Phil reaches for the doorknob, resting his hand on it and yet not turning it. He’s not entirely sure why. 

It’s a bit of a weird feeling, knowing that when he opens this door, it’ll technically be his room, and his room to keep. Each time he’s been here, he’s been here just for a night or two, just to pass by, because he always had to leave, always needed to return back to l’manburg at least once. 

He always needed to be on guard when going back, because while his heart always felt so bitter in that town, in the presence of people with no good intentions, he had to be strong so he could visit and keep watch over his boys. 

But now, there’s no need. He can breathe a little. There’s no need to go back, and there’s no need to keep up appearances. They’re going directly against that place now, and with the ideas in the back of his head, and with all of them together, he’ll have l’manburg and their enemies in the palm of his hand by the end of the week.

Letting out a deep breath and trying to relax the way his wings are wound up, he turns the knob, pushing the door open and going in.    
  


“Wilbur!” He calls, walking in, heart warming at the way that everything is the same as it was when he last visited. His bed is made and the curtains are drawn, small tellings of Techno touching up the room while he was gone. There’s a chair and a desk at the corner of the room, and Phil puts his bag down on the floor by the desk, sitting down on the chair and turning it so he’s sitting sideways. 

His eyes wander to the thin grey rug on the ground, and he chooses to leave that for later. He trusts that the armor is under there like Techno said. 

Wilbur comes up without a sound, popping in through the open door, floating a few inches off the ground. “Yes? Did you need something?”

“No, just your company.” Phil answers, leaning back and enjoying the way Wilbur’s face lights up, coming in with a stumble, even though he’s not even touching the ground. 

For the next few minutes, it’s calm, and Wilbur lays on the ground, splayed out on the rug as Phil busies himself, pulling out thread from his bag, grabbing some white wool from a closet to the side, a stash that he stocked up on weeks back. 

There’s a loom at the side of the room, right by the window, and Phil pulls his chair up to it, a pile of wool at his feet and spools of thread balancing at the top of the loom. His hands hover the mechanics of it, and as he looks into his bag again, he frowns over the lack of dyes in his possession. 

He’s not sure if he still has some stashed around his room, and he thinks for a moment before a thought of curiosity runs through his head, latching on. 

“Wilbur?” Phil starts, turning around and seeing Will raise his head, looking comfy as ever laying on the floor. “Do you think I could use some of your blue?”

Wilbur hums, then nods, pushing himself off the ground. “Sure! Give me a second!” He sings, and then zips off downstairs, silent. 

He’s back in no time, with a bag that’s too full of blue, and as Phil takes the material in his hand, he realizes that this is, in fact, dye. 

It’ll work. 

He turns back to his work and starts on his task, Wilbur leaning over his shoulder, feet floating in the air as he rests his chin on Phil’s head, a bit cold to the touch, but Phil’s not about to tell him to move anytime soon. 

“What are you making?” Will asks, Phil humming. 

“I’m thinking, a new cape for Tommy.” Phil says, watching the fabric under his fingers turn bright blue. “Techno can probably tweak some of his own clothes for Tommy to wear, and for you as well.”

“For me?” Wilbur asks, Phil nodding just a bit. 

“If you want, of course.”

“Oh, no, I would enjoy some new clothes.” Wilbur pushes back from Phil, his feet landing on the rug, head tilted back to the ceiling as he sits down on the ground again. “We could match, me and Techno.”

“I could also make a cape for you too, after Tommy’s?” Phil adds, Wilbur quiet in thought for a moment before responding. 

“Sure.” A pause, then much warmer, softer words. “I’d like that.”

Phil smiles.

\---

“Slow down, will you?” Tommy sighs, shaking snow off his shoe as he takes another step, back into ankle deep snow. “I can barely walk through this shit.”

“You just need better shoes.” Techno responds, although he does stay in place, letting Tommy catch up. 

The village isn’t much farther, Tommy can see it just over the next hill, now, but it doesn’t change the fact that this snow is soaking right through his shoes. 

Techno continues walking, a bit slower this time, as Tommy catches up, and they both make their way over the hill, approaching the wooden houses with villagers mingling around, talking in a language Tommy doesn’t know. 

After a few minutes, they step onto stone, and Tommy sighs under his breath in relief, finally walking on ground that isn’t just ankle deep snow. They make their way down the small street, the houses scattered around, villagers giving the two of them wary glances. 

One calls Techno over, leaning out of a building that Tommy assumes to be a library of some sort, and Techno holds up a finger, signaling for them to wait. They say words in an annoyed tone, but comply, going back into the building as Techno turns to Tommy. 

“There’s a fire over there, you can go warm up while I go get robbed with trash deals.” Techno says, pointing a finger down the street, to a fireplace out in the open, to the side of the stone path. 

Tommy nods, and walks that direction, not having any words to give. His feet are cold as he travels down the path, and he’s only a bit annoyed at how he gets a few stares from some villagers watching him go. He gives a glare back at one of them, and they turn their head lighting quick, Tommy almost laughing at the panicked face. 

The fire is warm, and as he gives a sigh into the cold air, breath visible in a puff of smoke, he looks over to see Techno walk up a few steps into the library, waving a hand as the villager inside talks excitedly in their language, even if Techno won’t understand a word of it. 

Holding his hands out to the flames, and turning his back to the rest of the village, Tommy ignores the few eyes on him and tries to warm up, tugging the cape tighter around his shoulders, rubbing his palms together. 

There’s a moment where Tommy’s trying to plan ahead, thinking of maybe hanging with Wilbur for a little while today, once they get back. He wants to ask Phil about the possibility of him trying out flying, just so he can calm the quiet burning in Tommy’s chest. The sight of Phil still having his ability, his wings, would make Tommy be able to breathe just a little bit more, because the sight of that jagged line on his wings had looked so wrong. 

Then, everything else catches up with him, and Tommy’s left wondering,

What the  _ fuck _ is he doing?

He’s been exiled, thrown out, and he  _ needs _ to go back to l’manburg, try and find a way to get this ban lifted. He can’t just stay here, as calming as it sounds, as tempting as a day of peace is, he has things he needs to do. He can’t just stay in one place, with a bunch of people who have already turned their backs on l’manburg. 

Tommy can’t put his finger on the way his heart drops when he realizes Wilbur probably won’t be trying to get back to l’manburg with him, nor Phil, but he decides that’s just the feeling of complete and utter betrayal, and he shoves that down with everything bad he’s feeling, choosing to focus his mind on just one goal. He’s getting back to l’manburg. That’s the plan, that’s what the plan needs to be. 

Only issue here is Technoblade, and the others, because while they don’t seem to care much for l’manburg anymore, they also probably wouldn’t want Tommy throwing himself into a fight to get back, and that’s just annoying, in his opinion. 

What’s the point of that, really? It’s not their problem on where he goes. 

Tommy’s brought out of his thoughts with the sound of approaching footsteps, and he raises his eyes to see a villager make their way over to Tommy, hands hidden in their sleeves and face determined as they stop in front of him.

“Uh…” Tommy trails off, narrowing his eyes and glancing around, Techno still gone, still busy making trades, it seems. 

The villager produces an apple from their pocket, and they hold it out, speaking something in a questioning tone, holding the apple just out of Tommy’s reach. 

“I, I don’t have money on me.” Tommy says, rubbing his hands together, taking a small step back from the fire, turning towards the villager. 

There’s a moment of consideration, then the apple is switched out with a cookie, and they ask again, waving it through the air. 

Tommy shakes his head, trying to get the message across. “No, no, I can’t trade, sorry.” 

He’s met with a persistent tone, words he’s got no clue what they’re saying, but he has a guess that they’re trying to convince him to hand over emeralds he doesn’t have. 

He takes a step back as they take a step forward, nodding with Tommy shaking his head. For a second, Tommy thinks he’s going to have to just turn around and walk away from them, but he bumps into someone behind him, and he tilts his head back to find Techno. 

Techno clears his throat, and the villager turns their attention to Techno instead, waving a cookie towards Tommy, nodding their head, smiling as if Techno should agree.

Techno looks down at Tommy with a thoughtful face, then reaches into the bag on his side, pulling out an emerald. 

“You want a cookie?” Techno asks, his grin only widening as Tommy’s face goes confused.

“ _ What _ ?”

“You want a cookie?” Techno repeats, waving his hand to the villager, who looks very proud of themselves, watching Techno and Tommy with a patient look. 

“You can understand what they’re saying?”

“Nah, but I know they’re probably asking me if I should buy the kid a cookie.” Techno shrugs, Tommy’s face falling into a frown. 

“No, I don’t want a cookie.” Tommy decides, narrowing his eyes at Techno, who seems barely affected by his sour tone.

“Suit yourself.” Techno responds, and puts the emerald away, the villager calling out, trying to get Techno to agree again. 

They turn towards Tommy, holding a hand out, and Techno waves a hand, telling the villager to shoo. When they don’t, trying to tug at Tommy’s arm for a deal, Techno stomps a foot down on the ground harshly. 

The villager scatters, running off with a panicked face. Tommy snickers at the reaction. He turns his head to Techno, who looks back with a bored face. 

“Well, I got what I needed, I think.” Techno shrugs, Tommy making a face. 

“I hate you.” Tommy deadpans, Techno’s eyebrows raising up in amusement. 

“The feeling is mutual.” Techno says back, voice as bland as possible, and he looks like he’s about to laugh at Tommy’s out of nowhere response. 

They both let a moment of silence sit between them, and Tommy struggles to not let a smile creep onto his face. 

“Let’s go home.” Techno nods, turning around. 

“Ugh, I gotta walk through the stupid snow again?” Tommy complains, following at Techno’s heels, frowning. “My shoes are soaked.”

Techno stops, looking back to Tommy and seeming to consider something.

“Okay.” He says, and Tommy is about to take maximum offense to that, before Techno kneels down with his back turned to Tommy, pointing a thumb at him. “Come on.”

Tommy actually lags a bit, blinking in confusion. “What.”

“Come on, I don’t got all day. Governments to take down, and all that.” Techno drawls, and Tommy realizes that he’s offering to carry him. For  _ free _ .

What a deal.

A minute later, Tommy’s holding on, Techno carrying him on his back with what looks to be no difficulty at all. 

“You’re light.” Techno notes, and Tommy flicks Technoblade at the side of the head, almost squealing when Techno pretends to drop him in response. 

“DON’T fucking drop me.” Tommy says, arms wrapping around Techno’s neck, telling himself that if he gets dropped, he’s taking Techno down with him. 

“Alright, all secure? Don’t feel like you’re gonna be falling off any second?” Techno asks, going into a walk, making his way out of the village. 

“Somewhat.” Tommy mutters out, huffing. 

“Good enough for me.” Techno answers, then breaks into a sprint, Tommy screaming.

\---

They get back with Tommy yelling at Techno as they walk through the front door, Techno only laughing in response, Wilbur questioning what happened. 

When Tommy explains colorfully, he’s only a little ticked off to see Phil smile and laugh. 

\---

The day passes, and while Tommy mentally makes up some plans, he carries out his idea from the village, hanging out with Wilbur, the two of them sitting by the fireplace, talking about nothing and everything. 

For just a few hours, Tommy lets himself have some time to charge up, talking about nonsense with Wilbur, and eating soup when Techno brings it by, sitting down with them and reading a book while the two of them rant about which night mob is the most annoying. Phil comes down as well, and sits beside Techno, listening to the two of them chat. 

Tommy holds his position on skeletons, because he’s been shot with an unlucky arrow too many times to count. Wilbur defends and insists that they’re not all that bad, except, creepers do leave annoying holes sometimes-

Techno says it’s baby zombies. The only context he gives for that is that they’re a pain to kill. 

Tommy only laughs when Phil brings up a time where Techno had seen a baby zombie running towards Phil while they were mining, Techno trying to get Phil to shut up as he describes how Techno had  _ screamed _ when trying to kick the little monster away-

It’s a nice moment of rest, and a calm day. 

Tommy mentally reminds himself that it’s temporary. 

\--- 

Techno wakes up to cold hands shaking him awake, and he blinks his eyes open, groaning and turning over in his makeshift bed on the ground. He had gone to sleep in Phil’s room, because upon suggesting the idea of Tommy sharing his room for the night, Tommy had slammed his door shut in Techno’s face.

Rude, really.

He turns over and finds Wilbur hovering over him, and the door is open, light from the hallway coming in. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning, he looks up to Will’s worried face, the start of a sinking feeling in his chest.

“Wilbur?” Techno asks, glancing to Phil, who’s shifting in his own bed, sitting up to squint at them both. “What?”

“Uhm, sorry to wake you, both of you, I just think...hm.” Wilbur trails off, clasping his hands together, glancing to the window, where the night sky shows and the moon is up in the sky. 

“Wilbur.” Phil says, swinging his feet off the bed. “What’s wrong?”

Wilbur hesitates for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought before getting back on track, his feet landing onto the ground quietly. 

“Well, Tommy’s gone off for a night walk, and, I really don’t think he should be out at this temperature-” Wilbur stammers, voice fragile as Techno feels his heart drop. 

He jumps onto his feet, running into the hallway and ignoring Phil’s calls, voice panicked, to his own room, where Tommy is  _ supposed _ to be sleeping. 

Slamming the door open, he scans the room for Tommy, the place empty. He goes over to the bed, yanking at the blankets, and is only met with nothing. Which means Tommy isn't here. Which means Tommy's _left-_

“PHIL!” Techno yells, and goes to grab his shoes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know yall love to go feral for Good Big Bro Technoblade but like I find the chapters so funny after I finish them, because I make him out to be like "gotta watch over Tommy" but we ALL know Technoblade would sell Tommy for like a single potato chip, no hesitation
> 
> Like. This man would punt the kid for free, I'm adding a LOT to their bro vibes for the sake of enjoyment and it's so fucking funny to me-
> 
> also thanks for reading. Drink water and get sleep or else I'll withhold the rest of the story from you, and you don't want that, now do you?


	7. Talking quietly and thinking loudly

  
  


Techno grabs a cape from his room, one that’s a bit more used, slightly worn at the edges, and he yanks it over his shoulders as he goes to grab a pair of boots, finding that a pair is missing. 

Fantastic, so Tommy left,  _ and _ took a pair of his boots. This is turning out to be a wonderful night.

A few seconds later, he’s going down the stairs with a sword at his hip, pulling his hair up into a quick ponytail, just trying to get it out of his face. 

Phil’s right behind, Wilbur hovering by the stairs with a worried face, hands held together in front of him. 

“He’s not in the house?” Phil asks, Wilbur stammering a bit before getting the answer out. 

“I- No, he had walked off into the trees...should I have, stopped him?” Wilbur asks, eyes flicking to Phil and Techno, Techno going into the kitchen and sighing loudly as it’s empty too. 

“No, it’s fine Wilbur.” Phil reassures, Techno going for the front door. “We’re just worried. It’s too late to be out.”

“I’m going to try tracking him down. You stay here in case he returns on his own.” Techno says, opening the door, Phil standing by the doorway as Techno goes down the stairs outside. 

“It’s cold.” Phil mumbles, eyes dragging over the snow across the ground, watching Techno look for any sort of faint footprints, slightly covered by the light snowfall, but still visible. “Take your horse.” Phil suggests, Techno nodding and going over to his stable. 

“Can I help look?” Wilbur asks, leaning into Phil, worry written all over his face. They both watch as Techno starts making his way opposite from the house, towards the trees, following a trail, and Phil’s about to respond, but Wilbur’s already going. “I’m going to go help.”

“Wilbur.” Phil tries grabbing Will to tug him back, swearing under his breath as Wilbur jumps off the porch, landing without a sound, and going off after Techno. “Will!” 

Wilbur doesn’t turn back, and Phil shoves down the way his hands want to shake, and he decides to busy himself, going back inside, closing the door behind him. 

He turns on the lights of the house, warms up some soup, and goes upstairs, grabbing one of Techno’s shirts, and some of the blue dye Wilbur’s lent him. 

He can wait. Techno will be back.

\---

Tommy pants heavily as he runs past the trees, kicking up snow behind him as he sprints, trying to get some distance between him and the house. 

He had been completely silent when leaving, sure to not give a single hint that he was awake and creeping up out of the house. 

The thing is, that doesn’t really matter when ghosts don’t sleep, and while Tommy was able to get outside without interruptions, and was able to approach the tree line without any raised alarms, he had looked back, giving a glance to the house. 

And he saw a glimpse of Wilbur giving a wave through the window, smiling wide.

_ Then _ he started sprinting. 

Which, maybe is a bit unnecessary, maybe Wilbur won’t even rat him out, but even then, better safe than sorry, there’s nothing wrong with getting a bit ahead.

So now he’s running through this forest as fast as he can, with stolen boots that are just a bit too big on him and a thick cape that helps keep out the chill from the night. 

After a while, he comes to a stop, leaning over and breathing the cold air in, leaning a hand against a tree. He’s not entirely sure what direction he’s going, and he’s not entirely sure how he’s going to get to l’manburg like this, dressed up in a traitor's outfit. 

Running a hand through his hair, Tommy stands up straight, trying to form a plan. First, shelter, shelter of his own, preferably outside of this snow, just for good measure. Then, figure out a way to get communication with l’manburg? He needs to speak with Tubbo. 

Tommy freezes as he hears his name get yelled, faintly off in the distance. It sounds like it’s coming from far off to the right of him, and as Tommy looks through the trees, he sees nothing but forest. 

He questions if that voice was Technoblade, but then he decides that’s not his problem and he runs the opposite direction, ignoring his name getting called again, sounding slightly closer. 

There’s snow falling lightly through the trees, and Tommy brushes some off the top of his head, huffing as the terrain under him is slightly tilted upwards, hard to run up, but still doable. 

Glancing back behind him for a glimpse of anyone following him, Tommy keeps running, and is glad that when the ground under him goes into a steep drop, he doesn’t scream. 

Tommy rolls, swearing under his breath and dragging his hands through the snow to try and slow his fall down a hill. It doesn’t do much, and Tommy keeps sliding until he reaches the bottom, cold and with snow in his shirt. 

He’s on his back, and he stares up at the trees with a glare, huffing and pushing down the urge to yell curses into the forest. He  _ really _ doesn’t want to be found right now. Techno is being a clingy motherfucker, and so are the others, and he knows that if he gets found, he’s going to get dragged back to the house to Phil’s Sad Eyes.

And that’s very much the last thing he wants right now, thank you very much. 

Sitting up and brushing snow off his shirt, he gets to his feet, deciding to keep walking. He picks a direction and follows it, going through the trees and trying to shake snow out of his boot as he walks. 

Wrapping his arms around himself, he goes on, catching a glimpse of something moving in the corner of his eye. When he turns his head to it, there’s nothing there, and Tommy scans the environment around him, suspicious, but nothing is there. 

He continues walking. 

Something moves again, and Tommy stops, spinning around and trying to catch it. It’s still just empty trees as he searches, though, and Tommy wonders if he’s going crazy this early in, seeing things-

“Tommy.” He hears a whisper right by his ear, and he shrieks, jumping and flailing away. He’s only slightly relieved to see that it’s Wilbur beside him, and he holds a hand to his heart, scowling. “Hello!” Wilbur greets, floating just a few inches off the snow, giving a tiny wave.

“ _ Wilbur _ .” Tommy grits out, wrapping his arms around himself, letting out a sigh. “You scared me.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Wilbur shrugs, looking guilty. 

“It’s whatever. Nice to see you, what do you want.” Tommy turns and keeps walking, Wilbur looking a bit upset, waving a hand. 

“Uh, I was trying to find you!” Wilbur says, following Tommy, floating behind. “I’m glad I did.”

Tommy pauses, turning his head to Wilbur, narrowing his eyes. Wilbur stares back, eyes wide, and he gives a stupid little smile, Tommy feeling almost comforted by it. 

“Come with me.” Tommy says, and Wilbur hesitates, thinking, eyes glancing at the sky. 

Wilbur puts a hand to his chin, then nods, smiling at Tommy again. “Okay!”

Tommy nods, and while he doesn’t smile back, there’s a bit less weight on his chest, and he turns around, continuing on his way. Wilbur follows.

They keep walking like that, Tommy glancing back a few times to make sure Wilbur is coming along, and Wilbur hums a small song under his breath. Tommy pretends he doesn’t recognize it. 

After a few minutes, Tommy feels fingers tap at his shoulder, and he looks behind him at Wilbur, who looks a bit concerned. “What?”

“I think you should go back.” Wilbur says, glancing back, and frowning as Tommy continues to walk the wrong way, farther away. “Phil and Techno were very worried, I don't think you should be on this walk anymore.”

“It’s not a walk, Wilbur.” Tommy mutters, pushing a branch out of the way. “I’m just leaving.”

“What?” Wilbur stops, Tommy continuing to go forward, and Wilbur catches himself, following before Tommy gets too far. “Why?” 

“Because! We can’t stay with Techno! Or Phil.” 

“Why not?”

“You know why.” Tommy responds, and keeps walking, ignoring how there’s a small voice in his head that’s asking the same as Wilbur. 

“...I don’t think I understand.” Wilbur says softly, trailing behind Tommy, fiddling with his hands in front of him. His feet land on the ground quietly.

Tommy stops, the snow crunching under him as he sighs out into the air, breath visible.

“Techno is the bad guy.” Tommy mutters, but sounds weak, even to him. 

“Really?” Wilbur asks, and there’s a second where it sounds like he’s considering it, flipping the thought over in his head. “Hmmm.” 

“No, I think you guys are just fighting. You know, I don’t really like it when you fight.”

“We’re not  _ fighting _ .” Tommy grits out, curling his hands into tight fists before letting them hang loose again. “I’m- I just need to find a way to be allowed back into l’manburg. I can’t do that when I’m hanging out with Technoblade, the number one enemy there.”

“...you can’t go into l’manburg?” Wilbur asks, slowly. 

“No.” 

“...well, that’s kinda dumb. Can Techno go into l’manburg?” Wilbur asks, walking up to Tommy’s right, Tommy turning his head the other way.

“Not unless he wants to get shot at.” Tommy answers, and he wants to start walking again, start moving, but all he does is stare at the snow under his feet and wait for Wilbur to go on. 

“Now that doesn’t make sense. L’manburg is supposed to be a free country.” 

“It’s different now.” Tommy says quietly, and that much is true. “It’s...a lot different.”

Politics and grabs for power, l’manburg is tense, and Tommy finds that in the past few weeks he’s been there, the recent memories he has of before getting exiled, he never felt free. Even before Dream built those obsidian walls, it was as if they existed before, invisible but just as suffocating. He doesn’t know if the walls are still there. Frankly, it might not even matter. 

Him and Tubbo drifting apart, sides being drawn, enemies being named, Tommy wonders when was the last time he actually felt like l’manburg was completely free, untouched by corruption.

“Then does it even count as l’manburg anymore?” Wilbur asks, and he says it so innocently, as if it doesn’t turn so many things in Tommy’s head. “I thought that l’manburg was supposed to be-”

“Free. It’s supposed to be free, and, and special.” Tommy stammers out. 

Why is it that everyone there has been lost to power? Why is that everyone has been trying to place their cards, win in a stupid game of who controls who? 

Why is it that Tommy is always caught up in the consequences of it? He keeps losing to it, over and over.

No, no, that doesn’t matter, whatever stupid game of power everyone plays, Tommy isn’t in it, he’s here to get back to l’manburg, to get back his disks-

And that’s just another fight for power, isn’t it?

“Tommy, are you okay?” Wilbur asks, leaning down in front of Tommy. “You look sad, oh, I don’t have any blue on me-”

Wilbur looks around them worriedly, a hand hovering over Tommy’s shoulder as he tries to think. 

“Uh, uh, think happy thoughts!” Wilbur claps his hands together, moving in front of Tommy, grinning wide. 

“Wilbur-”

“What makes you happy? Uh, cows! You like cows. Techno has that cow in his basement, I bet you liked that. We could go visit it again.” 

Tommy reaches his hands up to the cape around his shoulders, grabbing fistfuls of fabric, swallowing down the dread in his throat as Wilbur rambles on. “W-Wilbur-”

“Uhm, oh, the disks! Music! You love music, don’t you? Maybe Phil has a disk stored away with him, we could play it and listen around-” Wilbur fumbles as Tommy leans his head down, taking in a sharp breath. 

“Or, or! Uh, you, you like Tubbo!” 

Tommy holds his breath, and it doesn’t stop the stinging in his eyes and the way his heart drops as he replays his exile, the way Tubbo just kept staring from the walls, just watched as Tommy fought with everything he had to stay  _ home- _

Tubbo’s changed so much, and he doesn’t look at Tommy like he used to. Tommy wants so badly to blame Techno for that, but it wouldn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense. 

“Your Tubbo! We, we can go visit him if you’d like! Over in, ah, Not-L’manburg! I’m going to call it that, now. It doesn’t sound very nice over there, so I’m not gonna call it l’manburg. It’s Not-L’manburg now.”

Tommy lets out a startled laugh, because the way Wilbur crosses his arms and sounds petty, it’s so endearing. 

It turns into a sob, and Tommy drags his hands across his face, taking a shaky breath in. 

“Oh, uhm.” Wilbur falters, Tommy sniffling, brushing his tears away. “Tommy, we should go back.”

“ _ Why _ .” Tommy responds strongly, taking a step towards Wilbur. “Why, Wilbur?! I have to go back to l’manburg, I need to find a way back! Why should I go with you guys, when you left it?! I have to get back to Tubbo, I have to get my disks!”

“You don’t have to do anything.” Wilbur says softly, holding his hands to his chest. 

Tommy shakes his head, because no,  _ no,  _ Wilbur is not getting this. 

“I need to go home.” Tommy says, Wilbur pausing. 

Tommy’s anger simmers down for a moment as Wilbur stares at him, a strange look on his face, in his eyes. His smile drops, and he’s giving Tommy a look that might almost be scolding, in a way. 

“And what do you even have at “home”, Tommy?” Wilbur asks, and his voice is much more heavy than before, the light innocent tone nearly gone.

Tommy blinks, and he lets out a long breath, all his energy falling away with it. 

Tubbo, Tommy thinks. He has Tubbo.

But the whole reason he’s in the middle of a cold forest right now, in the middle of the night, with no supplies except things he’s stolen from his brother, the whole reason he’s in this situation is because of Tubbo. 

Tubbo exiled him. 

“I want to go home.” Tommy whispers, eyes stuck onto his boots, too big for his feet, good enough to keep him warm, but not specifically for him. 

Wilbur’s eyes soften again, and his mood is so much more somber. 

“Phil’s still at the house.” Wilbur says, with a hopeful tilt in his voice. “Techno is still running around, though.”

“Why?”

“He was trying to look for you. I ran into you first though.” Wilbur grins. “I win!”

Tommy glances around the forest, sighing. He just wants more than anything to be safe and warm, out of this stupid snow. He just wants to have someone beside him. 

He just wants someone who’s going to fucking  _ stay _ , someone who’s not going to betray him again. Someone who he’s not going to  _ lose _ . 

His eyes flick up to Wilbur. 

“Tommy!” He hears Techno call out, finding snowtracks far off, getting closer. 

Wilbur only stares back at Tommy, smiling. 

Tommy swears there’s a little bit of the Wilbur from before, hiding in those eyes. The Wilbur would drag Tommy by the collar playfully to make him understand. The Wilbur that was so much more fierce and fiery, and Tommy wonders if the longing for chaos just runs through the family. 

Tommy knows he has that in him. Causing conflict and pissing people off is his thing. He’s sure he didn’t go too far this time. Little bit of arson, sure, that’s bad, but tame, in his track record. 

It’s just that this time, everyone took it so far.

This time, he just wasn’t tolerated, and his sense for chaos made everyone turn away. 

There’s nothing back at l’manburg for him except more conflict. And while Tommy will go back, one way or another, he’s not so sure he wants to be alone when he does. 

As he looks at Wilbur, and hears Techno yell for him again, he wonders why he didn’t take this opportunity before. Tommy’s always been bound to be calmer, and now he sees a chance to trust and let loose. 

He’s going to take it. No idea where it’ll take him, but he’s going to take it. At the very least, he knows it won’t end in him being alone. 

“TECHNO!” Tommy yells, tilting his head up. Wilbur jolts at him screaming, and he laughs, happily surprised. 

“Oh, okay, are we going to Techno?” Wilbur asks, holding a hand to his unbeating heart. 

“Yeah, but I’m petty, so he’s just going to have to find me.” Tommy shrugs, and tries to not feel warm at how Wilbur beams at him agreeing to come back. 

“TECHNOOO!” Tommy yells again. 

“TECHNO!” Wilbur yells with him, laughing out into the night. “TECHNOBLAAAADE!”

He can hear the faint sound of a horse running along. 

“I CAN FREAKING HEAR YOU!” Techno yells back, not too far, and Tommy laughs at the slight annoyance in his voice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If some of the chapter doesn't really make sense, WHOOPS! 
> 
> My head wouldn't focus while I was writing, which meant I wrote out paragraphs of story while out of it, came back into the loop, and went, "What the fuck did I just write" 
> 
> Anywho, hope it's good either way. Thank you for reading


	8. Make the structure of your plans

Techno finds them within a minute, his horse making its way through the snow, and as he comes through the trees, Tommy feels dread creep up in his throat, the situation at hand dawning over him. 

“Hello Techno!” Wilbur chimes, giving a wave. Tommy copies Wilbur, although it’s with much less excitement than what Will holds. 

Wilbur is still smiling wide, looking happy with both Tommy and Techno in his presence, but as Techno comes up to them, climbing off his horse, Tommy debates on making another run for it, because oh he’s very much in trouble. He's going to get stabbed or some shit, he stole Techno’s boots and cape and then just ran in the middle of the freezing cold night, he’s so fucking dead-

Tommy doesn’t get a chance to consider making a defense for himself though, as his thoughts are cut off by a hand on top of his head, messing up his hair before just resting there, forcing him to tilt his gaze to the snow. 

Techno sighs, and Tommy can’t tell if it’s out of relief, annoyance, or both. “Of course Wilbur finds you before me, with my luck. Hey, Wilbur.” Techno greets Will with a nod, Wilbur giving another happy wave, walking over to join Techno’s side.

“Y-yeah, Wilbur just popped out of nowhere, scared the shit out of me.” Tommy laughs, clearing his throat, waving a hand to push Techno’s hand off. Techno shoves at his head instead, and Tommy screams as he falls forward, nearly face planting into the snow. “Asshole!”

Techno huffs in a way that might be a laugh, taking a step back and crossing his arms, Wilbur next to him putting a hand over his mouth to hide the smile he has at Tommy getting pushed into the snow. 

“Well  _ excuse _ me, someone here decided it would be great to just run off in the middle of the night, while I was having a good sleep-” Techno starts, Tommy waving a hand as he pushes himself off his knees. 

“Fuck you, I hate you, this is bullshit-” 

“So I had to wake up and go looking for you because knowing you, you’d end up freezing to death-”

“I would  _ not- _ ” Tommy snaps, brushing snow off his knees with a scowl. “I was doing just fine!”

Techno looks him up and down, Wilbur copying the look and glancing to Techno as Tommy grabs at the cape around his shoulders and tries to hide into the fabric. 

“...did you fall down a hill or something?” Techno asks, Wilbur nods, looking at the way Tommy is indeed covered in snow, as if he rolled through it for fun.

“No.” Tommy lies, but he says it too quickly, and Techno raises his eyebrows. 

“You fell down a hill.”

“No, no I didn’t, I  _ slid _ down a hill, they’re both very different things, Technoblade-”

“I think he more of rolled down a hill, actually-” Wilbur adds in, Techno nodding to Wilbur’s suggestion.

“I knew what I was doing!” Tommy yells, Techno and Wilbur sharing a glance. 

“Sure you did, Tom.” Techno says breezily, waving a hand. He goes over to grab the reins of his horse, leading the animal over. “Come on.” 

Tommy lets Techno help him onto the horse, choosing to not give a snarky response back in favor of just getting out of the cold, because while he’s confident in his ability to survive in the wild and all that, his hands are freezing up and there’s snow in the back of his shirt. 

He holds his hands together to his chest, huffing out into the cold air as Techno turns to Wilbur, nodding his head to the horse. “Wilbur, come on.”

“Oh, no thanks! I want to walk with you.” Wilbur declines, taking a step forward and bumping shoulders with Techno to further his point. 

Techno pauses, adjusting the reins in his hands as he stares at Wilbur, before nodding slowly. “If you say so. Aren’t you cold?” 

“Not really. I’m always cold!” Wilbur gives a small smile, Techno only blinking in response. “Being dead and all.” Wilbur adds, at Techno’s look. 

Tommy focuses on a tree in the distance as Wilbur says that, and Techno pats a hand onto Tommy’s knee, before letting go of the reins and tugging off his own cape. 

He puts it on Wilbur, Wilbur staying still with wide eyes, pale hands grabbing at the fluffy fabric around his neck. 

Techno knows it’s not really necessary. There’s not much of a point of giving a ghost clothes to fend off the cold. 

But as Wilbur looks up at him, with a face that Techno swears has a little more color than before, Techno decides it’s worth it. 

“Thanks, Techno.” Wilbur says, and it sounds so much like he did before, a lot less of that artificial happiness, and more of the actual Will. Bittersweet, but real. 

Techno doesn’t know what are the plans for dealing with Wilbur like this. He doesn’t know if the plan is to keep Wilbur around until he passes on, really dying, or to try and do something impossible and break the rules of Dream’s world.

Personally, Techno hopes for the second one. He’ll have to ask Phil later, though. 

“Let’s go.” Techno nods, taking the reins into his hand again and leading it along, Wilbur walking with him. They go like that, walking through the forest, Wilbur at his side, and Techno tugging Tommy along on his horse. 

\---

Phil greets them as soon as they come out of the tree line, walking into the field of snow. Tommy can see as the door of the house opens, and Phil runs out, sprinting through the snow like death is on his heels. 

Techno stops the horse as Phil comes towards them, and he brings Tommy down, tugging the teen on the horse and putting him on his feet, then giving a push towards Phil. 

Tommy nearly stumbles face first into the snow again, but this time he falls into Phil, who wraps his arms around Tommy as if it’s been years, even though at most, it’s been like half an hour.

Phil’s saying something, words of reassurance, or maybe talking to Techno, Tommy’s not sure, but he doesn’t really listen, only shoves his face into Phil’s shirt as wings wrap around him too, completely hiding him away from the night chill. 

It’s been a long while since Tommy’s had this type of hug, swallowed up in the comfort of soft feathers. It’s a bitter type of familiarity, and the thought of having this more often now, of being allowed to have this now, it doesn’t make him cry. It doesn’t. 

Either way, he hides in the shield of Phil’s wings and hugs back, ignoring pestering thoughts of l’manburg, of his disks, of Dream, of Tubbo, and instead just holds on, thinking. 

He could get used to this, he thinks.

\---

They return back to house after a bit, Tommy wiping at his face and ignoring the way Wilbur keeps handing him blue at the kitchen table.

Tommy’s sitting next to Phil at the table, who keeps a wing around Tommy, as if he lets go, Tommy will run off again and run off a cliff or something. Tommy doesn’t complain about it, only because he’s still kinda cold from outside, and the warmth is nice.

Wilbur sits at the other side of the table, sliding over blue to Tommy, who keeps sliding it back, only for Wilbur to slide it once more, creating a weird little cycle of the two of them pushing the blue across the table. Wilbur seems to find it fun. 

Techno comes into the kitchen with a paper and pen, sitting next to Wilbur and giving a look to Phil, who nods. 

“Okay. We need to set some things straight. Goals, rules, all that.” Techno starts, Tommy scoffing. 

“I’m assuming rule number one is that I can’t go running off again?” Tommy deadpans, Wilbur gives an awkward smile as he slides more blue across the table, Tommy catching it in his palms. 

“Well, yeah.” Techno shrugs, Phil quickly adding on. 

“Well, we can’t just force you to stay where you don’t want to, Tommy. But still, we just want to make sure you’ll be safe.” 

Tommy fiddles with the blue in his hands, before sliding it back, keeping his eyes firmly away from both Phil and Techno. “Sure. That’s fine.”

“What’s rule number two, then?” Wilbur asks, Tommy just a little grateful for him moving on.

Techno levels Tommy with a stare. “Stop stealing my stuff.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about with that one, Technoblade, I haven’t touched anything of yours.” Tommy says, Phil snickering next to him. 

“You literally have my boots on as we speak!” Techno yells, Tommy swinging his feet with said stolen boots. 

“These are my boots now, fucker.” Tommy grins, tapping his fingers on the table. “Cape too.”

Techno mumbles something under his breath, leaning to Wilbur and whispering something, Wilbur leaning in as if they’re exchanging secrets. Tommy narrows his eyes at them both as Wilbur laughs, Phil taking the pen and paper from Techno. 

“Are you shit-talking me?!” Tommy yells, Techno waving a hand nonchalantly. 

“Okay, okay, goals!” Phil quickly says, trying to keep away the light arguing that’s bound to happen with these boys. “For the sake of everyone here, we should be transparent with our...intentions.” 

Techno leans back in his seat, adjusting the cape on Wilbur’s shoulders before crossing his arms. “I have been transparent from the start.” He says, Tommy looking to the ceiling as if it’s the most important thing in the world. 

“Be even more transparent.” Phil responds, giving a hesitant smile. 

Techno looks at Tommy, who lowers his gaze down to Techno, face questioning. 

“I’m gonna destroy l’manburg. All of it, nothing left behind, nothing but ashes and a smell of smoke-”

“Woah, woah-!” Tommy waves his hands, laughing nervously at the fire in Techno’s eyes. “We, we can’t just destroy Not-L’manburg!”

“Sure we can.” Techno grins, as Phil gives a confused look. 

“Not-L’manburg?” Phil asks, both Wilbur and Tommy nodding. 

“We’re calling it Not-L’manburg now, because it’s a lot meaner and different than actual l’manburg, and it’s changed a lot.” Wilbur explains, and Tommy sighs quietly, because there’s a lot more behind Wilbur’s words than he knows.

“Not-L’manburg, L’manburg, whichever,” Techno leans forward, putting his hands on the table. “I’m thinking arson, some murder, hm, maybe a few withers-”

“No, no-” Tommy shakes his head, stammering. “I mean, things can still be fixed over there! Like, Tubbo-”

“ _ Tubbo _ kicked you out.” Techno interrupts, pointing a finger at Tommy. “Literally set Dream off on you and forced you to just run.”

“But that doesn’t mean you’re going to kill him!”

“ _ Hmmmm _ .” Techno hums skeptically, eyes glancing down to Tommy’s arm, where there’s bandages hiding underneath his sleeve. 

“Maybe, we can make an exception for Tubbo.” Phil adds, Tommy sighing. “Dream, however, is in the way. He needs to be gotten rid of, if we’re going to get anywhere in this world.”

“Wha- Gotten rid- You want to kill Dream?!” Tommy asks, Wilbur gasping. 

“But isn’t he like…” Wilbur trails off, cupping his chin in his hands. “The owner of this world? This all belongs to him, he’s not going to like this.” Wilbur whispers, as if Dream himself might listen in.

“Sure, this is his world.” Phil shrugs, Tommy looking up to Phil’s face and being a bit thrown off at how sharp his smile is. “For now.” 

“Dream isn’t easy to bargain with, or to fight.” Tommy says, Phil humming. “With, with my disks, when I tried getting them back, he didn’t care about what I had on him. He doesn’t have a weakness, he’s just set on his goals.”

“Everyone has a weakness, Tommy.” Techno says, looking at Tommy as he frowns across the table. “And weakness or not, we have the upper hand. Why do you think Dream was so set on getting you out of l’manburg?” 

“Because he’s mean?” Wilbur supplies, Techno smiling and leaning onto the table.

“Because he’s a bitch.” Tommy nods, him and Wilbur nodding furiously. 

“Because you don’t listen.” Phil says, and Tommy would be ruffled over that, but he says it as if it’s a compliment. “No one at this table listens to Dream, or entirely cares about his rules. So in that case, we’re a threat, aren’t we?”

There’s a moment of silence as Phil’s words sit in the air, Tommy blinking as he thinks, face falling as he realizes it. 

“You’re right.” Tommy mutters, looking to Phil. “Everyone at Not-Lmanburg, Tubbo, they have to take Dream’s threats seriously, they need to listen. Because of how Dream could take their power.”

“Oh, I couldn’t care less about what he threatens me with.” Techno waves a hand, grinning. “He’s not in control of  _ my _ power.”

“Not if we don’t let him.” Phil nods, flipping the pen over in his hands.

“Dream’s dangerous because of his control.” Wilbur says, dragging his words on, a thoughtful look in his eyes. “Although, if we ignore him entirely, what good is his control over the others when it’s just us?”

Tommy thinks on the obsidian walls around l’manburg, thinks of how Dream told Phil to keep his wings away, how Dream always had a secure grip on the countries in his world. 

“So, simple plan. Destroy Not-L’manburg, get rid of Dream-” Techno holds up a hand, counting off his fingers.

“Tubbo-” Tommy starts.

“Is in a position of power, in a _government_. You should know by now, power like that corrupts. I’ve told you before.” Techno says sternly, Tommy turning his eyes to the table. 

Tommy thinks of Tubbo staring with a sad look from the top of the walls, watching as Tommy desperately tried to run, screaming as he fought against Dream-

“I-I know. You were right, in that.” Tommy mumbles, Techno humming. “But Tubbo shouldn’t be hurt.”

“He’s the president. Take him out, it’ll be easy to take the rest of it down.”

“Then do it the hard way! Destroy everything  _ but _ the president!” Tommy insists, Wilbur raising his eyebrows as his eyes look to Techno and Tommy.

Techno gives a thoughtful look at Tommy, a slow smile creeping on his face. “So, destroy l’manburg, all of it, except Tubbo? Are you going to agree with me on that, Tommy?”

Tommy huffs, ignoring the way Phil stares at him, his wings shifting behind Tommy. 

“L’manburg can’t stay. It’s not a good place anymore, and the power just corrupts. Tubbo is a victim of that. He shouldn’t be destroyed with it.” Tommy says, squeezing his hands into tight fists. 

“As adamant Techno is in destroying Not-L’manburg, I’m sure that we aren’t going to be going after everyone. Destroying the land would be enough to stop new forms of power starting against us. Tubbo should be fine.” Phil says, putting a hand onto Tommy’s head for a moment.

“Then, my disks?” Tommy asks, trusting Phil to keep his word on that. 

“Oh, we can just get those from Dream!” Wilbur claps his hands, smiling. “Since we’re killing him and all.”

Tommy chokes on laughter at the over positive tone of Wilbur’s words, and Techno chuckles along with him, Phil smiling as he scribbles down on the paper before him, Tommy asking for the pen as well. 

Half an hour later, as Tommy and Phil go back to sleep, Wilbur choosing to stay with Tommy to watch over him, Techno walks into the empty kitchen and picks up the list from the table, written out in their handwriting, somewhat legible, mostly fixed up in Phil’s handwriting.

Rules

  1. Tommy can’t go running off like a hooligan
  2. Stop stealing Techno’s shit ~~fuck you~~ (Tommy, respect Techno’s things)



To do list:

  1. Destroy Not-L’manburg (Except Tubbo)
  2. Delete Dream
  3. Retrieve Tommy’s disks



It’s not much, and there’s a lot more details than just the few legible sentences on the paper, but either way, Techno places it back down on the table, and thinks about what the week is going to hold. 

He underlines ‘destroy Not-l’manburg’ before leaving the kitchen, and goes off to dig around in his supplies, and start taking numbers for what he’s going to need. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *claps hands together* ANARCHY
> 
> anyway, thanks for reading, I have no idea what I'm doing but according to the comments, I'm doing it well, which, story of my life.
> 
> but ye thanks there is a LOT of you :P


	9. Consider your life choices a bit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am,,,,in love, with this chap (OH YEAH I WROTE 5k WORDS LETS GOOOOOO)
> 
> pls do enjoy, enjoy very much, I am so happy with how the words have turned out

It plays again. 

In the back of Tommy’s head, he knows it’s not real. It passed, it happened, it’s over. 

But it still plays again. Like it always does.

They’re standing on top of the obsidian wall, Quackity and Fundy beside him, supportive in the tense moment. Tubbo stands just a little bit far off, with Dream. 

“I’m sorry, Tommy, I’m sorry, actually.” Tubbo grins, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and as he turns to Tommy, Tommy smiles back nervously, laughing a little. 

Dream stands behind Tubbo, expression hidden behind that mask, no emotion left out in the open. But Tommy can just tell he’s being smug as shit, and it’s so annoying. 

“Dream, you-” Tommy starts, rolling back his shoulders, raising his chin to say something. 

“ _ Tommy _ .” Tubbo cuts him off, turning all the way to face him, fists clenched tightly at his side. “I, I am so, so sorry.” He laughs a little, and he smiles again, but it still doesn’t reach his eyes. Tommy notices, and his heart drops a little, his own grin faltering.

Quackity shares a glance with Tommy, and Tommy tries to keep his calm, because that doesn’t sound good, that doesn’t sound at all to plan-

“Dream, I’ve come to the decision, that will be best for the nation, the most logical thing to do,” Tubbo says, turning to Dream once more as Tommy looks to Fundy and Quackity, eyes wide, his heart dropping. He feels sick, he feels so terribly sick, why is he-

“-is for Tommy to be exiled, from l’manburg.” Tubbo finishes, and Tommy stares in disbelief, Tubbo not sharing a smile with him anymore, only a grim look and tired eyes. 

“What?” Tommy breathes out, and Quackity and Fundy beside him voice out their disbelief, yelling across the wall as Tubbo keeps a steady gaze. Tommy hopes there’s another side to this, an unspoken part where Tubbo is only saying this to keep Dream satisfied, but there’s nothing. 

There isn’t a warmth in Tubbo’s eyes anymore, at least not for Tommy- 

\---

Tommy’s reaching a hand out, and he pulls it back, stammering and trying to bring his words out, trying to get through to Tubbo, and he’s trying to overcome the way his chest aches, a sense of fear creeping up his spine. 

“But, the disks, Tubbo! The disks-” Tommy tries saying, Tubbo cutting him off. 

“They’re just. Music disks.” Tubbo says, and Tommy shakes his head, because no, they’re so much more, aren’t they, shouldn’t Tubbo know this-

“No! They’re more than that-”

“THE DISKS DON’T MATTER, TOMMY!” Tubbo yells, and Tommy takes a step back, hands outraised. “They don’t  _ matter- _ ” Tubbo says again, softer, like Tommy is just a stupid kid who  _ needs _ to understand-

\---

“Dream-” Tubbo turns his back to Tommy, and Tommy chokes down the way he wants to scream, because what. What. Why would Tubbo- “Please detain and escort Tommy out of my country. By any means necessary.” 

“Tubbo, no-” Fundy says, and Quackity tries to yell something out, but Tommy can’t hear anything, doesn’t listen to what they’re saying, because Dream tilts his head and brings out an axe, gleaming in his hand as he walks past Tubbo. 

He walks right towards Tommy, and Tommy doesn’t hear anything, because his ears are ringing, his heart is in his throat, and he feels so, so  _ sick _ . 

“TOMMY, RUN!” Someone yells, and he gets pushed from the side, stumbling, he glances down to l’manburg, from up here you can see all the buildings, all the life the town holds. Tommy can’t process the fact that he’s not allowed here anymore, that this can’t be his anymore. 

Dream pushes Fundy out of the way, going into a run and coming right at Tommy, and Quackity swears, Fundy pleads-

Tommy ducks as a hand goes to grab for him, and he launches himself backwards, tilting, falling, and going right off the edge-

\---

The water isn’t cold when he lands in it, but he’s shaking like a leaf when he crawls out, pushing himself off his knees with trembling hands and sprinting as fast as he can, hearing voices yell from above as he runs towards l’manburg, towards his house. He’s running right into l’manburg, right into his home, and yet he doesn’t feel a single ounce of comfort. 

He just feels horrified, and the image of Dream coming towards him on top of the wall flashes in his mind, only solidifying that fear, because he can’t help but feel like a criminal running for his life.

An arrow whizzes past his head, just barely missing, and Tommy takes a sharp breath in, risking a glance back and seeing Dream follow right behind, climbing down the wall with a startling pace, Quackity and Fundy trying to follow at his heels. But Dream is fast, and he hits the ground running, focusing on Tommy and Tommy alone, raising his bow up again as he comes to a stop.

He nocks another arrow, points it right at Tommy, just as Tommy’s feet hit wood, running across the bridges and he wonders if this one is going to hit, he needs to find cover, he really needs to find-

“STOP IT!” Quackity yells, and Tommy can only watch with wide eyes as Quackity jumps onto Dream’s back, grabbing at the bow with one hand, and practically choking Dream out with his other arm. 

He’s able to pull the bow to the side, Dream not letting go of the weapon, but scratching at Quackity’s arm with a strangled gasp.

“TOMMY, GO!” Quackity yells, and Dream finally lets go of the bow, letting it fall out of his hand, but it’s not much of a victory. 

Tommy stops running, even with Quackity’s yelling, because he can’t stop the way his feet skid to a stop for him to watch in disbelief as Dream reaches behind him, grabbing Quackity by the shirt and hair, and  _ yanks _ with a yell, flipping him over and slamming Quackity into the ground. 

Tommy isn’t sure if he actually heard a crack or not when Quackity hit the floor, because Fundy is screaming and trying to reach out to Dream-

He spares a single glance up at the wall, to where Tubbo is still standing, and Tommy thinks his heart has to be shattering, or something, because a sharp chill goes right through his chest as he sees Tubbo looking down right at him, not making a move to help. 

He just looks down at Tommy, a resigned look on his face before he turns away, looking to Dream expectantly. 

He’s not going to help, Tommy realizes, taking a short breath in. He’s not going to stop this. 

Quackity raises his head from the floor, a pained expression on his face, but eyes still burning, and he grabs onto Dream’s leg as the man starts to take a step towards Tommy. 

Turning around and going into a sprint, Tommy ignores the way his legs feel weak, and he ignores the way Dream looks down at Quackity, and  _ kicks _ . 

\---

Tommy doesn’t make it to his house, half because of the axe that gets thrown his way, lodging itself into the wood at his feet, half because Tommy knows that even if he gets in there, it’s not going to hold. 

Dream actually does catch up, actually grabs a bruising grip onto Tommy’s arm, and the panic that courses through Tommy blocks out the overwhelming fear for a second, just a second, and he uses that panic to swing a punch right towards Dream’s face. 

It doesn’t do much, and his knuckles hit the mask painfully, but it jostles that stupid smile to the side, and Dream hits Tommy back, across the face before letting go to readjust his mask. 

Tommy hits the ground, balance thrown off, and he rolls to his feet, ignoring the way his lip fucking  _ stings _ , and instead he runs, hopping over a fence, off a small ledge to the wood path below. He ignores the loud steps behind him, and the hissed out “ _ Tommy _ .” that he hears, and he goes towards Phil’s home, hands outreached for the door.

He slams it open, then tries to slam it closed, but he’s grabbed again around the wrist, Dream yanking as Tommy pushes the door closed with all his strength. 

His arm gets caught in between the wood and stone wall, and even though it hurts like a bitch with a door getting slammed right on his arm, Tommy doesn’t let up on the door at all, and grits his teeth through it, as Dream keeps pulling at Tommy’s wrist with one hand, and banging on the wood with his other. 

“Tommy, you’re making this much more difficult than this has to-” Dream yells, and Tommy feels like screaming.

“FUCK OFF!” Tommy snarls, and he pulls his arm as much as he can, lessening his weight on the door just enough to let his arm scrape through. Dream starts to push at the door, but Tommy slams it shut the second his arm is free, and his fingers fumble with the lock, closing it just as Dream tries at the doorknob. 

Stumbling back, Tommy holds his arm to his chest, blinking back the tears at the corner of his eyes from the way it aches, and he looks around, trying to form a plan as Dream bangs at the front door. 

There’s chests, by the side, and Tommy runs to them, throwing them open, eyes scanning over the scattered materials. Phil hasn’t been here for a few days now, Tommy’s not even sure if he really cares about these things, so really, it’s fine if he just-

“TOMMY, OPEN THIS DOOR!” Dream yells, and Tommy flinches as there’s the sound of him kicking against the wood. Tommy has a moment of gratefulness for the fact Phil always makes his things durable, and he digs through the chest, hands closing around cloth. 

He tugs it out and pulls it on, putting the hood over his head with shaking hands, and reaching into the chest again as another loud bang against the door sounds out. He can hear the crack of wood, and he knows that he does not have enough time. 

There’s a compass, all the way at the bottom, hidden by junk. It glows, and Tommy grabs it out of curiosity, pulling it out and eyes scanning over it. 

It’s shiny, new, and there’s a small engraving at the back, with a single word. ‘Home’. 

Tommy looks at the direction it’s pointing, and he raises it up, turns it, and it still points the same way. 

Why would Phil have this?

Does Phil have somewhere safe this leads to?

Making a quick decision, Tommy memorizes where it goes, where he needs to travel, and he puts it back into the chest, burying it once again, because if it points towards home, Phil’s home, then it’s just cruel to take it away. It lands a little too close to his current situation. 

Tommy’s eyes focus on the window as he hears another crack of wood, and he slams the chest shut, climbing into it, and kicking the glass with his foot. It cracks, and he kicks again, so it shatters. 

He starts to crawl out through it, glancing at the slight drop outside, and just before he’s out all the way, the door gives out, and there’s hands grabbing at his shirt, yanking harshly, and no,  _ no _ , that’s not how it goes- 

Tommy screams as he gets pulled back, away from escape, and Dream is yelling his name, “TOMMY-!” as the hood on his head gets pulled back, choking him-

“Tommy!” Tommy opens his eyes with a gasp, sitting up with a jolt, swinging his legs off the bed before realizing where he is.

This isn’t l’manburg. 

Right. 

Just a dream, he tells himself, as he looks at the blankets on the bed, and remembers, oh, yeah, he’s in Techno’s room. He’s in Techno’s house. 

Phil and Wilbur are here too, and Dream is nowhere near. Right. 

He left l’manburg, he reminds himself, and the thought brings him some comfort. Just a bit, before also making his heart ache. Techno’s cape is still beside him, and he picks it up, wraps it around his shoulders to try and shake off the feeling of hands yanking at him. 

“Tommy!” He hears again, and the sound of Phil’s voice comes from the hallway, light knocks on the door. “You up?”

“Y-Yeah.” Tommy responds, pulling at the collar of his shirt, clearing his throat. He takes a deep breath in, shaking his head. “I’m up.”

“Can I come in?” Phil asks, and Tommy nods, before realizing Phil can’t see him.

“Sure.”

The doorknob turns and the door gets pushed open, Phil leaning in with a small smile before making his way inside. Tommy notices that his hat has gone from green to blue, a light blue color that makes Tommy think of the snow outside, for some reason. 

Then he notices the blue on the rest of Phil’s clothes, the way they’re made and layered, Tommy half expects a crown to be on Phil’s head, rather than that hat, because his clothes look neat and royal, almost like the aesthetic that Techno always carries around, and Tommy’s used to Techno’s usual fashion sense, he’s just not used to it being on Phil. 

His eyes flick to the clothes in Phil’s arms, and he gives Phil a confused look, tilting his head. 

“What’s that?” Tommy asks, making a face and tugging at Techno’s red cape around his shoulders, and Phil doesn’t answer for a moment, only making a fond smile and looking at him.

Tommy is confused for a split second, then he looks down at the cape with a choked sound, tugs it off, and flings it across the room, glaring at Phil, as if he’s daring for him to say something. He ignores the way his face has gone slightly red. Phil only shakes his head with a slight hint of amusement. 

“Good morning to you too.” Phil grins, and he puts the folded clothes down on the bed beside Tommy, before standing up straight again and walking over to pick up the red cape from the floor. “Brought you some new clothes. Thought they would be better than Techno’s shirt, at least.”

Tommy glances down at said shirt, at the way the sleeves are rolled up on his arms and how it hangs loose. “Where did you get clothes?”

“Made them.” Phil shrugs, folding the red cloth in his hands, holding it close to his chest. “Wilbur gave his input on them, I hope you like it. I also made something else for you too, but I’ll give it after breakfast.” 

Tommy reaches for the shirt beside him, faltering when Phil mentions breakfast, because a small realization creeps over him that he’s going to be eating breakfast here now, with the others. And dinner. 

Oh, wait, he’s  _ living _ here, now, isn’t he? Now that he’s more or less agreed to join with Techno destructive hobbies. 

Tommy stares at the clothes next to him, hand outraised as he realizes what he’s gotten himself into, and while it’s not the worst thing ever, he’s more confused if anything at the spark of excitement in his chest. 

“...you good, mate?” Phil asks, and he snickers when Tommy raises his head, narrowing his eyes. 

“What’s for breakfast?” Tommy asks, as he holds the shirt in his arms, looking over it and appreciating how it’s clean, unwrinkled, and warm. It’s soft in his hands, and Tommy’s eyes drag over the red sleeves, noting how it’s similar to his old shirt, but with a new twist to it. 

He likes it.

“Eggs and toast.” Phil answers, and he puts the cape down to the side, on a chest. “Come down after you get dressed?” He asks, making his way to the door, slowly, like he’s waiting to Tommy to ask something. 

“Okay.” Tommy nods, glancing up to Phil before lowering his attention to the shirt in his hands again. 

Phil lingers a moment longer, then smiles, sticking a hand into Tommy’s hair and ruffling it up. 

“Welcome home, Toms.” Phil mumbles, so quietly that Tommy isn’t even sure that he actually heard it, and Phil walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Tommy stares at the door, and puts a hand on his head, blinking. 

Is this home, now? 

Part of him wants to spit a curse and throw the shirt to the ground, because, no, no,  _ l’manburg _ is home. Tubbo, and everyone else back at l’manburg is home. Not here, with a bunch of traitors who plan on committing some sort of terrorism sometime soon, probably. He’s here for convenience. He’s here for allies. 

But Tommy finds that he isn’t as angry as he thought he would be, and he just feels more like he’s grieving, if anything, an ache in his chest over the loss of l’manburg. He turns the memory of Tubbo over in his head, sighing. 

L’manburg is home. That’s always been so true, and that’s always been a fact ingrained into Tommy’s heart.

But maybe not anymore. 

Maybe, he can deal with that. 

L’manburg isn’t what it used to be, Tommy thinks. And maybe there’s no point in trying to crawl back to a place that threw him out so harshly. 

Tommy holds the shirt to his face, closing his eyes. 

Part of him still wants to fight and go back. Wants to defend it all. But there’s also a small bit of spite, a spark of anger at how he was thrown out, and how Tubbo had just let it happen. 

It hurts, and it stings, but maybe things just happen for a reason. 

Tommy opens his eyes, and tells himself it’s a new start, here. L’manburg has had it’s run. But Dream, Tubbo, everyone from what he’s seen, it’s just not the same. 

It does more harm than good, at this point. It’s done  _ him _ more harm than good, at this point. 

Swallowing down the way he wants to kick something, Tommy gets to his feet and looks over the clothes, then goes to change.

\---

Tommy closes the door behind him as he steps into the hallway, the wood creaking quietly under his socks, his new socks, which are clean and warm, grand contrast from before.

He feels overly fancy, somehow, like he’s going to dirty these clothes way too easily. He tells himself that if he does, he’ll just steal from Techno again. Screw the rules. 

Adjusting the belt around his waist, Tommy looks to the other room down the hall, and walks over to it, hand hovering over the doorknob before he decides to open it, just the slightest bit. 

He peeks his head in and finds an empty room, full of Phil’s stuff. There’s blankets on the ground, from Techno sleeping over here, and there’s thread and blue dye scattered on the desk to the side. The windows are open, and Tommy can see the snow falling lightly outside. 

He closes the door quietly, taking a step back. He’s not snooping, he’s just curious, that’s all-

“Whatcha doing?” Wilbur whispers from behind him, and Tommy screams, jolting and falling to the floor. “Oh, whoops.”

Tommy rolls onto his back, sitting up, and pauses at seeing Wilbur out of his usual yellow sweater, swapped from clothes more similar to Tommy’s. Clean, neat, and royal looking. 

Tommy wonders if everyone is just going to deal with Techno kingly aesthetics now that they’re living in his house. God, Techno is such a nerd.

There’s quick footsteps coming up the stairs, and Tommy sees Phil appear, face panicked, looking to Wilbur and Tommy, who’s still sitting on the floor. 

“Hi, Phil.” Wilbur waves, Phil looking a bit reassured that no one is bleeding out. “I think I spooked Tommy.” 

“You think?” Tommy repeats, sarcasm lacing his tone. 

“Well, I do walk rather quietly.” Wilbur taps a finger against his lip in thought, floating just an inch off the ground. 

Phil laughs, shaking his head and walking past Wilbur to help Tommy up. “Consider that your wake up call.”

“Oh, I’m awake alright.” Tommy grumbles, Phil smiling. 

“Good morning!” Wilbur chimes, and Tommy sighs as dramatically as he can. 

They go downstairs eventually, and true to Phil’s word, there are eggs and toast, sitting on a plate, a chair pulled up for Tommy already. He sits down and stabs his fork into his eggs, while Wilbur sits down beside him, leaning his elbows on the wood and chatting to Phil about how pretty the snow looks outside. 

It does look nice, Tommy will admit internally. 

The front door opens and closes, and Tommy hears a “I’m back” from Techno.

“We’re in the kitchen.” Phil calls out, and Techno walks in a moment after, tugging gloves off his hands. “Want a plate?” Phil asks, pointing to the food he’s cooked, sitting in a pan. 

“Sure.” Techno agrees, and goes to sit down across Tommy, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. 

“Where’d you go?” Tommy asks, around a mouthful of eggs. Phil gives a light reminder for Tommy to  _ please _ chew before he starts talking. 

“Went to check on some supplies, and dropped by the village nearby.” Techno responds, throwing his gloves onto the table, rubbing his hands. “Oh, got you something, too.” 

Techno puts a bag of cookies onto the table along with a smaller pair of gloves. 

“Ooh, cookies!” Wilbur exclaims, poking at the bag as Tommy grabs the blue gloves. “It’s a shame I don’t eat.” 

“One day, Wilbur.” Phil says softly, putting a plate down for Techno, Techno giving a grin to Phil. 

“Gloves?” Tommy asks, flipping them over in his hands. They’re a bit thin, and they fit snugly around his hand when he puts one on. 

“To keep your hands from freezing in this weather.” Techno shrugs, poking at his food. “You can wear them for this morning, when I drag you out for practice.”

“Practice?” Tommy repeats, making a face. “For what?”

“Well, for everything, really. No way you’re living here if you suck at fighting.” Techno grins, but it’s more teasing if anything and Tommy tries to kick Techno under the table, only getting annoyed when Techno just traps his foot between his legs and keeps it there. 

“Oh, come on.” Phil says, patting at Techno’s shoulder. 

“Where’s the list? Where’s the rule list? Put down as number three: Tommy can’t suck at fighting.” Techno continues, Phil hiding a snicker behind his hand, Wilbur smiling wide. 

“Fuck you! Gimme my foot back.” Tommy mutters, kicking his other foot at Techno’s legs, looking under the table where his left foot is trapped between Techno’s boots. “Phil! He won’t let go of my foot!”

Phil laughs, having to turn away as Techno finally lets go, Tommy kicking him again as soon as he does. Techno swings his legs in warning, and Tommy scoots back with a panicked face, choosing to just sit with his knees pulled up on the chair. 

“Okay, okay, since you’ve got new gloves now, I’d like to give you  _ my _ gift.” Phil waves a hand, walking out of the kitchen for a moment. Tommy looks at Phil’s wings as he walks out, and he finds his mood improving at the way of how Phil isn’t holding them so carefully, like he did earlier. 

“Ooh, ooh, I know what it is.” Wilbur whispers to Tommy, watching Phil walk out as well. 

Tommy smiles, deciding to play along, enjoy this nice atmosphere they have in the house, homey, warm. “Oh, tell me, quick.” He whispers back, Techno raising his eyebrows at the two of them.

“No! Surprises are the best type of gifts.” Wilbur responds, and Tommy scoffs, pouting. 

“Aw, come on.”

“Nope.” Wilbur grins, and he sits back as Phil returns to the room, blue cloth in his arms. 

“More clothes?” Tommy asks, raising his hands out as Phil gives it to him, Tommy scooting his chair back, raising it out in front of him. 

He holds it out and blinks, seeing that it’s a cape. A rather nice one too, a short, blue cape with a golden color outlining the edges. It’s fluffy around the hood, and it’s soft as Tommy runs his hand across it. 

“Is it alright?” Phil asks, looking unsure. 

“It’s cool, right?!” Wilbur speaks up, leaning in behind Tommy. “I got a cape too! It’s upstairs though, Phil’s not done with it.” 

Tommy nods, clearing his throat. “Yeah, it’s cool. Thanks.” He puts it over his lap, glancing up at Phil, who smiles. 

“No problem.” Phil says, nodding and walking around the table to sit down beside Techno.

“Oh, Techno, question, what are you going to practice with Tommy?” Wilbur asks, genuinely curious, bring the topic back up.

“I was thinking some archery, out in the forest.” Techno responds, Wilbur nodding. 

“My aim is fantastic, thank you very much.” Tommy mumbles, shoving food into his mouth. 

\---

Tommy curses as he misses again, Techno laughing. 

“That wasn’t even close!” 

“My arms are tired, shut up!” Tommy whines, leaning over with the bow in his hands. “I’m not used to this.” 

He really isn’t. He’s more of a sword person, he thinks. God, why did Techno pick archery. 

They’re both standing in the forest, not far from the house, with a few targets set up in the trees. Tommy has a bow in his hands and a quiver on his back, plain arrows mostly gone. A lot of them are in the targets, not so terribly off mark. Some of them missed the targets completely and went flying into the snowy trees far off. 

“Can’t I just use a crossbow?!” Tommy yells, turning around to Techno, who shrugs from where he’s leaning against a tree behind Tommy. 

“Crossbows are a bit easier to work.” Techno responds, Tommy huffing. 

“Exactly! So-”

“So, you should probably polish your skills on a regular bow before easily working a crossbow.” Techno adds, Tommy slouching and muttering curses under his breath. “Plus, bows are just more common.”

“You don’t even use bows that often. You have your ridiculously overpowered  _ crossbows _ .” 

“Well, yeah, cause they’re better. But  _ other _ people use bows more often.” Techno says, and Tommy resists the urge to roll his eyes. Just barely. Techno pushes himself off the tree, going over to the targets that are a bit high up. “Go grab the arrows that flew off, I’ll get these ones.”

“Do I have to?” Tommy asks, and Techno levels him with an unimpressed look. “Fine.”

He walks past Techno and walks past the trees, going down the slight hill of snow to where the arrows have flown off. He is not  _ that _ bad at shooting these, goddammit. 

But also why are these arrows so  _ far _ ?

Tommy kneels down as he picks them up from the snow, shaking the snow off before putting them back in his quiver. They’re a little scattered around, and it’s tedious to pick them up, over and over, but he does it anyway, although not without a little bit of muttering under his breath. 

There’s one buried in the snow just a little far off, and Tommy sighs as he stands up again, shaking off snow from the one in his hands and walking past the trees to go grab it. 

Honestly, these arrows suck, if they’re just-

“Tommy?” 

Tommy freezes just as he’s about to grab the arrow, and he looks to the left of him with wide eyes, seeing Dream, of all people, staring right back, shocked. 

Tommy quickly stands up with the arrow in hand, nocking it on the bow and pulling it back, aiming towards Dream as he takes a few steps backwards. 

“Woah, woah, hold on-” Dream raises his hands up, palms out. 

“What the hell, how are you here? How did you find me?” Tommy questions, trying to make the most intimidating face he can. He hopes it’s enough to stop Dream from thinking of anything. 

“I’ve been looking for you.” Dream answers, shrugging, and Tommy scoffs, raising the bow a little- “Okay, okay, wait! I followed your trail all the way up to the snow. Look, I’ve been  _ worried _ , okay?” 

Tommy gives him a look. “Really. What, worried you hit me too hard before running me out of l’manburg?” He says dryly, Dream sighing. 

“I was just following orders, then.  _ Tubbo’s _ orders. Sorry about your lip. And your arm.” Dream gives, Tommy not entirely convinced. He still really wants to shoot him. Especially for mentioning Tubbo.

“You still hit me.” 

“You ran.” Dream answers, taking a careful step forward, hands outside. “Look. I was planning on taking you out of l’manburg, one way or another, but I was going to lead you somewhere  _ safe _ .” 

“Safe?” Tommy repeats, Dream nodding slowly. 

“A little place, far off. Out of this snow.” Dream says, almost bitterly, and Tommy gets some satisfaction from knowing that the hoodie Dream is wearing must be doing practically nothing against the cold. “I thought it would be a good place for you to stay, in exile. Where I could watch over you, you know?”

Tommy narrows his eyes, Dream continuing after a moment. 

“Let me take you there right now. I really just want to help, Tommy, honest. I just want to help you out.”

Tommy lowers his bow the slightest bit at Dream’s tone, worried and gentle. He sounds like he actually does care, and maybe Tommy would somewhat believe it, somewhat care about it, if it weren’t for that one thing. 

“You’re saying this like you’re not a bad guy.”

“I’m not.” Dream says, sounding a little put off. 

“...You cut Phil’s  _ wings _ .” Tommy hisses out, Dream freezing. 

“Ah.” Dream responds, and good, he should sound slightly guilty at that, because Dream had no fucking right, it’s a stupid rule. Tommy can’t get the image of that jagged line across feathers out of his head, and Dream should feel all the guilt in the world for that. “Okay, so I guess that doesn’t look too good.” 

“Uh-huh.” 

Dream sighs, adjusting the hood over his head as he takes another careful step. “Hear me out. Putting aside, the whole, Phil thing, who, might I remind you, wasn’t even  _ there _ for your exile trial, I’m still offering to take you to the safe place.”

Tommy stays quiet, his bow a little low as he waits for any sort of good reason. 

“I could protect you. You could live there, and I’ll give you updates on l’manburg, maybe find a way for others to visit you. Find a way to get you back there, one day.” Dream says, and Tommy falters, lowering his bow.

“...get back?” Tommy mumbles, and isn’t the thought appealing. He wants to say yes, he really does, just for the chance of going back, of getting it all back. 

But he can’t. Even if he does get back now, it’ll just be  _ wrong _ , because he’ll just be too aware of how power is corrupting the place inside out. On how l’manburg just isn’t itself, anymore.

“Yes. I swear it. I’ll figure something out for you.” Dream says, and he takes another step closer, standing in front of Tommy. 

“I-” Tommy takes a deep breath in, trying to form words, trying to process if Dream is saying something true, in his bribes, but it doesn’t matter, because before Tommy can even get a word out, there’s crunching footsteps coming fast at them, and Tommy turns his head with Dream, screaming as someone grabs him and yanks him off his feet, into the air. 

Then he’s being carried off, Dream lagging as he processes the fact that Tommy’s just been swept off by a slightly panicking Technoblade.

“What the fuck! Put me down! Holy-” Tommy screams again as Techno adjusts his grip, Tommy hanging over his shoulder as he sprints, Dream only just starting to follow as they dart through the trees.

“No way, we are not talking with that man, have some common sense, Tommy!” Techno responds, Tommy holding on for dear life as Techno sprints through the snow, his cape flying up behind him. “We’re putting this on the rule list, ‘no talking to Dream’ how about that?!”

“He’s following!” Tommy yells out, spotting Dream, bright green far off. “Run faster!”

“I am running faster!” Techno responds, although he does somehow pick up even more speed, Tommy laughing, even with the situation at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey-o! How about that flashback exile dream moment, ey? :D
> 
> I am very happy about how this turned out, I hope you are doing very well, I'm doing well, and also, might I just add, holy FUCK I get so many comments every single day, and it's like,,,,,huh
> 
> I mean, I love it! I read every single one, believe me, and y'know it makes sense, if I'm running like 6 different stories at the same time, I'm gonna get a fuckton of feedback, but still. Makes my ego rise a bit whenever I get like five different comments all going "This story is fucking FANTASTIC and here is why:" lmao
> 
> thanks for reading! Till next chap! :D


	10. Trust is, er, fickle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at the oncoming threat of school* oh neat! Anyway. 
> 
> have a chap. It's 3 am for me :)

  
  


Techno weaves through the trees as fast as he can, keeping a tight grip on Tommy as he books it through the snowy biome, Dream slowly but surely gaining on his heels. 

As much as Techno wants to, he can’t fight Dream right now. It would just be tedious, and while Techno is confident in his ability to win, he can’t afford to get injured right now, this week and the next are going to be busy, with his plans. Dream is being a massive roadblock, and a general annoyance. Why is Technoblade not surprised. 

He can’t run back to the house either, because the last thing he wants is for Dream to know where they reside. It’s bad enough that Dream is even in the snow biome itself, too close for comfort, but knowing right where they live would be worse. Techno wants to at least keep that info away from Dream for just a while longer. 

So, he runs, his boots crunching against the snow as he sprints through the forest, away from the house, and away from Dream, and whatever he was trying to say to Tommy. 

“Techno, Technoblade, he’s catching up!” Techno glances up to the teen on his shoulder, and ignores the way he screams when Techno makes a sharp turn, trying to lose Dream in the trees. “Fucking hell, do  _ not _ drop me!” 

Techno gives a grin, even with how his heart is racing and how he knows this might not turn out well. “You know, maybe this situation would be a lot better if  _ someone _ wasn’t mingling with the person we are literally going against-!”   
  


“I was not fucking  _ mingling _ with him, Techno, he popped up out of nowhere!” Tommy yells back, sounding annoyed at Dream’s existence, and Techno takes the small bit of relief he can with that remark, because if anything else, he can count on Tommy’s stubborn grudges to keep him away from bad influences as a last resort. 

Techno is going to be the first resort, though, and right now, he’s trying his best to keep Dream away, because whatever Dream is planning, Techno doesn’t want it anywhere near Tommy, or him, or really, just anywhere near his life, at all. 

Tommy fumbles with the bow still in his hand, and he reaches to the quiver on his back, nocking an arrow even while being carried like a sack of potatoes. He pulls back the string and raises the bow up, trying to make it as steady as he can with Techno running down the forest at top speed. 

He fires, and swears under his breath when it misses, sticking to the bark of a tree rather than hitting Dream, who’s right on their tail, not slowing down. 

“Technoblade!” Dream yells, his tone holding a hidden threat if Techno doesn’t comply. “Give him back!”

“No thanks!” Techno yells back, not even giving a glance back as he ducks under a branch, snow getting kicked to the side as he makes a sharp right.

“Okay, I’m not sure if we’re gonna lose him, man.” Tommy mutters, and he nocks another arrow as Techno jumps over a small hill of snow, and the arrow hits a tree again, but close enough to Dream that it makes him flinch back, giving them just a second to get more ahead.

“Alright, idea,” Techno says, glancing behind him to Dream, who seems to not be losing any momentum in chasing them. 

“TOMMY!” Dream yells, and for a split second Tommy’s back in l’manburg, running again, for his life-

His heart drops as the image of Tubbo flashes through his mind, and he swallows down the bitter taste of fear stuck in his throat.

“Run faster, fucking run faster-!” Tommy grits out, his gloved hand shaking, losing an arrow as he drops it into the snow below them. He doesn’t bother going to reach for another one, only holding onto Techno’s cape instead. 

“Scream!” Techno orders, and Tommy nearly drops the bow in his hands while processing that, because  _ that’s _ the idea Technoblade has, with Dream on their heels?! How is that going to help?!

“What?!” Tommy questions, and when he sees Dream get a little too close, he decides maybe he could just not question things, you know, just this once-

“Scream, be loud, isn’t that the thing you’re good at-?!” Techno goes on, and Tommy would be offended if he weren’t so fired up with sirens going off in his head.

“Fuck  _ you- _ ” Tommy swears, then follows it with a high shriek, yelling into the trees that tower over their heads. 

As soon as Tommy lets out a yell, Techno stops suddenly, swinging Tommy off him and turning around, eyes scanning the trees around him as he makes sure they are right where he wants to be. Far from the house, but close enough for someone to maybe hear Tommy.

Tommy stumbles as he’s put down, and Techno pulls the bow out of his hand, taking an arrow from Tommy’s quiver and pulling the bow back, aiming right at Dream, who stops in front of them both, keeping enough distance so he can dodge behind a tree if he really has to. 

Taking the smallest step so he’s behind Techno, Tommy grabs onto Techno’s cape and tells himself that he is  _ not _ hiding, he’s not, it’s just more practical and safe to be close to Techno, because he has the bow, and is probably a lot better at it than Tommy, to be honest. 

And if Technoblade notices the way Tommy leans into his back, well, he doesn’t say anything about it. 

“Heyyy, Dream.” Techno drawls, keeping the bow raised, smiling nervously as Dream tilts his head. “So, uh, weird meeting you here.” 

“Tommy.” Dream says, ignoring Techno entirely in favor of speaking to Tommy in a concerned tone, caring, in a way. “You’re with  _ him _ ? Technoblade?”

“Well, that’s just mean. I’m not that bad.” Techno frowns, and even though his voice is light, almost joking, Dream can see the gleam in his eyes and he knows to keep his distance, because Techno wouldn’t hesitate at all with letting loose an arrow into his heart. “Maybe.” Techno adds, raising his eyebrows. 

Techno’s voice is light, but his eyes burn, his stance ready to fight, and Dream knows it’s going to be hard to get Tommy with Techno in the way. But he still tries. 

“Tommy, you can’t trust him.” Dream warns, Tommy peeking out from behind Techno, narrowing his eyes. 

“And what, I can trust you?” Tommy asks, nearly scoffing. Dream brushes off the question. 

“Don’t you remember what he did to l’manburg? To  _ Tubbo _ ?” 

Techno’s grip on the bow tightens, and he risks a quick glance to Tommy, only to be met with Tommy’s unimpressed expression, frowning past him at Dream. 

“I remember.” Tommy mumbles, but he still stays close, and Techno turns his eyes back onto Dream, letting out a slow breath. 

“Then  _ please _ , understand, you need to get away from him. You know he’s dangerous.” Dream says, and Techno won’t deny that last part, he can’t really, he is capable of plenty of harm. Hell, he’s planning on complete anarchy in L'manburg by next week. Techno is not a ‘safe’ person.

But he knows damn well he’s not dangerous to Tommy. Not anymore, at least. He won’t be, not anymore. 

Dream takes a small step forward, and Techno fires off, the arrow hitting right in front of Dream’s feet. 

“That’s your only warning.” Techno says, and Tommy holds up another arrow for him, Techno taking it from his hand and nocking it. “Try again and I’m going to show you just how dangerous I am.” 

“Tommy.” Dream tries, and Tommy stays quiet. “I’m not leaving you with him.”

“Well, I’m not going with you.” Tommy snaps, snarky as hell. “I mean, sure, I’ll agree on you with the fact Techno is a  _ bitch- _ ” 

“ _ Please- _ ” Techno mutters, shaking his head the slightest bit, Tommy grinning as he holds back a snicker while talking.

“-but he’s way better than  _ you _ .” 

Dream leans back on his heels for a moment, Tommy trying to ignore the way his heart is pounding and how his hands shake at the possibility of a fight about to go down, and he instead looks to Techno, who’s focused on Dream, face serious. 

“Tommy, Tommy.” Dream sighs, like Tommy is being a fool. “Fine.”

Then he runs, Techno firing his arrow, and missing as Dream dodges to the side, coming right at them both, head on. 

Tommy goes to grab another arrow for Techno, and Techno shoves him to the side, Dream tackling Techno into the snow with a yell, Techno grabbing at him and swinging as Tommy falls to the floor beside them. 

Tommy pushes himself onto his knees, turning to the two of them and watching with a startled laugh as Techno uses the bow and wacks it across Dream’s head, kicking Dream backwards, away from him, before rolling to his feet.

He holds a hand out to Tommy, eyes on Dream, who gets to his feet as well. 

“Tommy-” Techno starts, and Dream is running at him again, but he doesn’t get far, because he’s then kicked across the face by something flying down from the trees, and Dream hits the snow floor again. 

Techno runs over to Tommy, kneeling down in front of him, Tommy watching in shock as Phil lands in front of them both, flapping his wings for a moment before his feet land on the snow, standing in the way of Dream getting to either Techno or Tommy.

Dream gets up again, and pauses at seeing Phil, looking pissed with a sword in his hand, his wings fully stretched out behind him, large and almost intimidating, with their size, blocking Techno and Tommy from view. 

Tommy stares with wide eyes at the jagged lines at the edges of Phil’s wings, and his gaze drags along the rest of Phil’s wings, Techno putting a careful hand onto his shoulder. 

“Try it.” Phil hisses out, raising his sword out in front of him, feathers raising up higher. “I fucking dare you.”

Dream readjusts his mask from where Phil kicked it, and he gets to his feet silently, taking a step back. 

“You flew.” Dream says, and Phil nods. “Phil, you know the rules-” 

“The rules will be disregarded.” Phil says smoothly, and he swings his sword around casually. “Now, I suggest you leave,  _ now _ .”

“Your wings aren’t allowed.” Dream grits out, and Phil gives a sharp smile.

“Don’t really give a fuck, mate.” Phil laughs, grinning, but it’s not reaching his eyes. “Do you really want to keep pushing it?” 

Dream pauses, and Tommy may not be able to really see Dream from where he’s at, but he knows from the silence after, that he’s probably debating if he can take on Phil. 

“We’re going to talk over this later.” Dream says, and there’s the crunch of snow, Dream taking careful steps back.

“No, we won’t.” Phil says, and he watches Dream go, running into the trees, into the snow. Once Dream’s out of his sight, he folds his wings back down, sighing. 

Then he turns back around, and Tommy is met with a tight hug with wings around him and Techno, Phil on the ground with them both. It’s calming, and Tommy closes his eyes for a moment and leans into it, immensely relieved at the fact Dream has left, and at the fact that Phil  _ flew _ . Maybe it was just a short distance, maybe it was nothing, but it’s reassuring.

“I never thought I’d say this, but thank goodness for Tommy being loud.” Techno says, and Phil snickers as he leans back on his knees, getting up and helping Tommy to his feet. 

“Fuck you, Techno.” Tommy mutters, and he rubs a hand over his face, sighing, trying to get the feeling of panic and staying on guard off him. His mind keeps straying to his exile, snippets of Quackity yelling and Dream fighting with the door, and Tommy hates it. 

Phil rests a hand onto the back of his shoulder, and Tommy lets himself be immensely glad that Techno and Phil are at his side. 

“Can we go home already? I’m  _ done _ with archery.” Tommy narrows his eyes at Techno, as if daring him to say something to contradict him. 

Techno pauses, looking to Tommy with a strange look in his eyes, and Phil just smiles and sighs. 

“Yeah, we probably should get going, I left Wilbur at the house all alone. He was petting your horse, by the way.” He says to Techno, turning a certain direction and nudging Tommy along. 

“Good to know him and Carl are getting along. Makes my day.” Techno responds, and Phil just laughs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kinda short chapter? I took a break yesterday from updating, because of new years and also my internet went down! (Love that) 
> 
> Also school is coming up, so, I dunno how updates are gonna go from now on, but I wanna keep going daily, because I find it fun.
> 
> But ye! Hope you liked the chapter. I liked writing it. I plan plot
> 
> Have a good dayyy


	11. Fate changing desicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at canon* 
> 
> oh nooo, my relevancy 
> 
> what a shaaaame
> 
> anyway, story go brrr

They get back to find Wilbur indeed petting Techno’s horse, and there’s a moment where Tommy insists on riding Carl around, just once. 

Techno states he would rather die than let Tommy get his gremlin hands on Carl. 

After the expected yelling that comes after that, they move to go inside, Phil calling him upstairs for a moment, Wilbur and Tommy staying in the kitchen downstairs, Tommy grabbing food while he retells Wilbur of the disaster that was supposed to be archery practice. 

Techno follows Phil into his room, shutting the door behind him once he’s inside, watching Phil rummage through one of the chests to the side. 

He looks around the room for a moment, glad to see that there’s already small changes, things placed around, evidence that Phil is here, with him. There’s a bag slung over the back of the chair, by the desk, there’s multiple dyes stacked next to the loom, the bed is made, but the sheets are still messed up, still showing that someone’s been resting in them. 

It’s nice. 

“So, just to jump right into it,” Phil starts, pulling something out of the chest, standing up straight and turning around to Techno. Techno glances down to Phil’s hand, pausing at what he’s holding. 

“We need to talk about Wilbur.” Phil starts, holding a totem of undying in his hand, shiny and gold. 

Techno blinks for a moment, and he can’t tell if the feeling in his chest is excitement, anticipation, or fear. Probably all three, really. There’s also a bit of sorrow thrown in too, swirling in his heart, as he thinks about Wilbur, now, and Wilbur, back then, when he had already lost himself. It hurts, and Techno knows it’s nowhere near his fault, but it doesn’t stop the sting. 

“You have a totem.” Techno says, eyes glancing down to the gold in Phil’s hand, before looking to Phil’s eyes. 

He gets a nod. Totems aren’t exactly impossible to get, but they’re rare. They take work. Far too much work for just an extra assurance, when you can simply just have good armor. They’re simply not worth it, in most cases. 

“Those…” Techno starts, and he knows Phil has a plan with this, he knows Phil’s brought this up for a reason, with that look in his eyes, but he needs to state the facts anyway. “Those only work once. For when someone is _about_ to die.” 

“And they can be used to bring someone back.” Phil says, his hand tightening around the totem, as he takes a few steps to Techno. “But I need multiple.”

Techno nods, already mentally planning on sweeping through the lands, looking through maps. “How many do we need?”

“Seven. Along with someone willing to give a life.” Phil adds, and the last part of that sentence, he says it carefully, hesitantly. 

“I’m perfectly willing to do that. I know I can spare one.” Techno reassures, knowing that he wouldn’t regret it, not at all. Phil smiles, holding the totem to his chest as he sighs. 

“I know. I just wish you didn’t have to.” Phil’s face turns thoughtful for a second, and Techno waits for him to go on. “I’m planning on leaving tomorrow. I’ll try to- I’ll track down the other six we need.” 

“I can come with.” Techno says, and Phil shakes his head, even though it would be easier, would be more beneficial for the two of them to search.

“No, I have to-” Phil cuts himself off, clearing his throat. “You need to stay here, watch over Will and Tommy, keep preparing for our first move on l’manburg. But don’t touch l’manburg until we have Wilbur back.”

Techno raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “Why not?” 

There’s a moment of silence sitting in the air for a moment, and Phil lets out a weary sigh. “Why do you think Wilbur still hangs around, the way he is?”

Techno couldn’t even fathom why. There’s a million reasons, either for family, for regrets, or simply because Wilbur was too broken to even move on. Wilbur doesn’t like discussing the things he did, Techno knows that, he doesn’t like hurting. He’s here happy as ever, blissfully forgetting anything rather unfortunate. Techno couldn’t even begin to guess as to why anyone would be like that after death, losing their true selves for something bitterly sweet. 

Techno just shrugs, rather than voicing his thoughts. 

“Personally, I think it’s unfinished business. Wilbur died, more or less, for l’manburg. He stays mostly in l’manburg, or at least used to. I don’t really know why he’s still here, still, like that, but I’m worried that if we destroy l’manburg before getting Wilbur back, we’ll lose him for good.”

“You think he’s connected to l’manburg?” Techno asks, turning the thought over in his head. 

“Well, it’s the one thing he really remembers, right? Fighting for l’manburg, gaining independence. If that’s the reason he’s still here, then if we destroy it all, we might be severing the only thing keeping him here.” Phil shrugs, shaking his head. “Or at least, that’s just what I’m thinking. But I don’t want to take chances.”

“Alright. Then, no big moves on L’manburg until Wilbur’s back. But for the totems?” Techno walks up to Phil, hitting a fist gently against his shoulder. “How long will that take?”

“A week, at most. Maybe less. I’ll get them quick enough, don’t worry.” Phil keeps his eyes to the floor, and Techno frowns. 

His hand gets grabbed by Phil, being raised up, the totem being handed to him. “Keep this on you for now. Just in case, you know?” Phil raises one shoulder, grinning. 

“If we both go search, it could go quicker.” Techno notes, curling his fingers around the gold in his hand, Phil letting his hands rest on Techno’s arm. 

“No, I got it.” Phil insists, shaking his head. “I can get them. I know I’ll have them soon, we’ll get him back soon.” 

And Techno doesn’t doubt it, with the burning in Phil’s eyes. He’s sure that it won’t take more than a week for Phil to track down what they need, purely of that determination that he holds. 

There’s nothing that could stand in Phil’s way of getting Wilbur back, nothing that’ll change his mind in having him be the one to work for it, and Techno bites at the inside of his cheek as he thinks why. 

“You know it’s not your fault he’s dead.” Techno says, and he almost regrets saying it as soon as the words leave his mouth, Phil freezing. It really isn’t. Everything that led up to it, Wilbur’s last moments, he was gone entirely, would’ve ended up with the same fate, one way or another. 

Phil lets go of Techno’s arm, taking a few steps back. The room is too quiet all of a sudden, and if Techno strains his ears, he can hear Tommy chatting from the kitchen. 

“Really?” Phil whispers, and he sounds so bitter, Techno _really_ wishing he hadn’t said that now. 

“I-” Techno searches for words, holding the totem in his hands with a death grip. “You don’t need to blame yourself.” He says. Those are words he tells himself, but he doesn’t think it helps Phil much, because he only looks like he’s dropped farther in guilt. 

“Really, really, I-” Phil laughs, and it’s always been strange, that, how Phil always laughed in these kinds of situations, always smiled in the worst times, even if the apocalypse loomed overhead, Techno feels like Phil would still just laugh, and continue on. He could be doing it as a weird way to cope, but Techno feels like it’s more of a way of controlling the tone of a situation. Phil’s stared down the end of swords with a grin before, and Techno knows that’s gotta be disheartening to more than a few, seeing your opponent only laugh in situations of death or worse. “I just have to do this. Just, this one thing. It makes up for it.”

“I don’t blame you for Wilbur dying.” Techno says, and Phil smiles. 

“You really should. You should’ve been angry, at least, in the first few days, when he was gone.” 

Techno was, back then. Seeing Wilbur die like that, stabbed through the heart by Phil, it only added to the whole overwhelming emotions he had that day. When everything settled down, though, when it was all done and over, Techno couldn’t really stay mad. 

You can’t really stay mad at Phil, when he’s one of the only ones left you can trust, and when you’ve heard the man scream in pain and regret with a dead body in his arms. 

Techno remembers feeling the anger then, feeling it all disappear like it was never there, and only getting replaced with an dull ache, seeing Phil’s figure from afar and still hearing his screams loud and clear, across the remains and craters of l’manburg. 

He hadn’t screamed any words, didn’t scream Will’s name. Just cried.

It sent the message far enough, though, showing just how much he had regretted it, and making it clear how much he wished he hadn’t done it at all. 

And Tencho still sees the same pain in Phil, the same grief, as strong as it was the day Wilbur died, and usually it’s simmered down, usually it’s hard to see in his eyes, but now it’s right out in the open, sharp and painful. 

“I don’t blame you for Wilbur’s death.” Techno repeats, and Phil puts his head into his hands, taking in deep breaths, letting them out slowly. “Maybe I should. But I don’t. I’m not changing that.”

Phil laughs, quietly, muffled slightly by his hands in the way, and Techno tries taking a step towards him, Phil taking a step back. 

“But you get it. You get why I have to be the one to go do this, right?” Phil asks, and he doesn’t look up, but Techno feels like he already knows what Phil’s eyes would look like. 

“I know.” Techno nods, Phil nodding with him. 

It’s quiet again, Phil clearing his throat, trying to keep calm, and Techno hears whispers in his head, feels the same ache in his heart. He grieves for Wilbur, he does, but he’s not the type of person to break over it. He just keeps working, keeps going. 

Phil’s the same, in a way. But he holds so much more grief. 

Techno swallows down the hesitation sitting in his throat, and he makes his way to Phil, tugging him into a hug, wrapping his arms around Phil’s shoulders and squeezing. 

“Do you regret it?” Techno asks, and Phil chuckles, sounding like he’s holding back tears. Or maybe he’s already crying. Techno can’t see him over his shoulder. 

“Every day. Every time I see him now, it’s just,” He pauses, pressing his face into Techno’s shoulder. He doesn’t finish his sentence. 

“Then I’m not going to put the blame on you for that. You’re not the reason he lost himself.” Techno says, Phil closing his eyes. “You’ll bring him back. So it’ll be okay.” 

“It really isn’t, though.” Phil mumbles. “None of this is okay.” 

“Yeah.” Techno agrees, sighing. “Nothing is ever okay.” Maybe someday it might be, though, Techno thinks, privately. No, not maybe, it will be. He’s sure of it. He’s going to make it so it is. 

He’s got a list of what to burn, and he knows how to do it. And he knows that when he’s done, when he’s got it all complete, then it’ll be okay. And then him, and the ones he cares about will be okay. 

If not, he’ll just keep going until it does. 

“Bring Wilbur with you.” Techno says, breaking the tense silence of the room, the two of them still hugging. “To search for the totems.”

Phil pulls back, holding onto Techno’s arm and making a face. “What?”

“It’ll be a bonding trip or something.” Techno waves a hand, Phil snorting. “He can be your little motivator as you travel along.” 

“I’m sure he’d love that.” Phil grins, Techno shrugging his shoulders. “Although, he’d be safer here.”

“I’m just saying. Just an idea.” 

Phil nods, and Techno knows Wilbur’s going to be going on a trip this week. 

\---

The rest of the day is spent training with Tommy, Phil preparing for his journey, Techno going to the village to trade once more. Night falls, and they go to rest, Phil asking Wilbur about leaving tomorrow. Wilbur agrees, with the usual cold smile he always has, and Phil didn’t think there would be any other answer. 

It’s a calm anticipation, for them, as they turn in for the night. 

But over in l’manburg, things stir. Over in l’manburg, there’s hushed meetings, sharp whispers, and glancing eyes. A sense of grief sits in the air, but it’s hardly the thing of most concern, with plans being made, big plans. 

Quackity sits in a chair by a meeting table, half listening to Tubbo and Fundy talking over what to do next, now that l’manburg is free from the walls, free from Dream’s wrath. Ranboo sits quietly in the corner, but he agrees with whatever they say, whenever they turn to him. 

Quackity stays mostly silent, his arm still sitting in a cast from fighting against Dream, and a bandaid still sits over his cheek, from the last healing scabs. He could speed up the process, with potions. But he finds a small bit of satisfaction in the way that Tubbo can’t look at him, a literal reminder of Tommy’s resistance in getting thrown out. So he lets it heal mostly naturally. 

Plans get discussed, and tensions somehow grow even worse. Tubbo’s nervous, fidgeting, and Fundy scrambles to lower the slight discomfort in the room. Quackity stays mostly silent through the meeting. He’s not bitter, he isn’t, but he’s definitely a little annoyed. 

Tubbo’s thrown out Tommy, going against what they agreed beforehand. Fundy’s seemed to have quickly moved over it, not wanting to stay angry with the way Dream had taken action, had slammed a boot into Quackity’s face. Tubbo hadn’t even asked for Dream to apologize for that. 

Quackity is _not_ bitter. 

Maybe a little bit. 

But it doesn’t matter anyway, because even with his arm in a cast, and with a slight pettiness in his voice, he still has a nation to help run, and there are still priorities, even with how he’s a little upset with the president. 

Fundy brings up a hit list. _That_ makes Quackity sit up in his seat. 

At first, it’s a little unfathomable to think of even going after Dream or Techno, Tubbo doesn’t want to go after Dream just yet, wanting to keep good terms while they still can. 

But Technoblade isn’t much of an option either, because no one even knows where he is. And no one who might know where he resides is around either. Phil still isn’t back from doing whatever he does when he’s gone from l’manburg, and Tommy was thrown out. 

Wilbur is brought up as a possible option, but really, Wilbur kinda drifts wherever he wants to, and it’s more of a random chance to come by him, these days. 

Tubbo ends the meeting soon after that, and he leaves, to go ask for help from someone who’s oughta know something, at least. 

Dream gives a general area in the snow biome. No one questions how he even knows it, they only prepare. 

Then, the next morning, geared up, Quackity walks with the cabinet of l’manburg, Fundy, Tubbo, and plus Ranboo, to track down Techno’s house, so that he’ll be brought to justice. 

The same morning, Phil leaves with Wilbur, leaving only Tommy and Techno at the house. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've recognize that canon has made a decision. Given that it's a ANGSTY fuckin decision, I've elected that every time you click on my fic, you Ignore It
> 
> Also oh noooo my story be so far from canonnn what a shameee
> 
> lmao, canon be so wild, anyway, yall ready for SBI??? CAUSE I HAVE IT!!!
> 
> thanks for readin :D


	12. Weaknesses can be people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHA
> 
> enjoy

“Are you sure you guys will be alright for when we’re gone?” Phil asks, hovering by the door, a bag of supplies over his shoulder. Wilbur stands just outside, behind Phil, a backpack sitting on his shoulders with supplies as well, underneath his new blue fluffy cape.

“We’ll be good. I’m planning on just mostly mining, getting some stuff from the nether.” Techno scratches at his chin, shrugging. He glances back to Tommy, who’s sitting by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, giving a wave when Phil and Techno look over to him. 

Phil hums, nodding and looking to Wilbur, who smiles back, dorkily. “Stay safe then. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I would never.” Techno grins. “Tommy, though-”

“Fuck you!” Tommy swears, Techno rolling his eyes. 

Phil says his goodbyes once again, Wilbur giving Techno a cold hug, and then they’re off, on foot, towards a certain direction for the first totem. 

Techno closes the door and turns to Tommy, who narrows his eyes back, sipping his drink obnoxiously. “What now?”

“Well, for now, I’m just going to write up some stuff upstairs, don’t bother me, don’t set the entirety of downstairs on fire,” Techno says, walking over to the staircase.

“Maybe I will, just for you saying that.” Tommy mutters. 

“Do what you want. Just don’t wander off.” Techno pauses on the stairs, looking at Tommy with a slightly stern look until Tommy gives a nod back. 

“Can I go visit your cow?” Tommy asks, putting his cup to the floor. 

Techno lags. “...Bob?”

“You named it Bob?” Tommy asks incredulously, snickering. 

“Don’t judge my naming skills.” Techno waves a hand, going all the way up the stairs. “Sure, you can go bother my pets.”

Tommy grins, and gets to his feet, quickly walking over to the kitchen, placing the cup down on the table and running to grab his shoes from the chests in the next room. 

He tugs them on and goes out the door, nearly running down the steps to make his way to the basement, then to the hidden room under that, climbing down the ladder, and only flinching slightly as the monsters poke at the glass when they see him. 

He ignores the undead groans coming from them, and instead walks right over to the cow, grinning as it raises its head to Tommy, blinking curiously. 

“Bob! My friend!” Tommy raises his arms out, falling to the floor and scooting up to the creature, patting his hands against its head. “It has been a busy few days, it really has, Technoblade is being such a prick, but that’s normal, for him-” Tommy rambles, and he continues to ramble, smiling wider when the cow just rests its head on his legs, huffing. 

Tommy talks about coming across Dream, describes how he had been trying to lure Tommy into getting stabbed, probably, before Techno picked him up like a bag of potatoes and sprinted. 

He talks about Phil and his wings, how they’ve grown back, gotten better. He talks about how Phil had gone against Dream’s rules directly, and was such a fucking badass. 

He talks about Phil leaving, a bit more quieter with those words, talking about how he had gotten a quick rundown of them wanting to revive Wilbur. 

He talks about Wilbur. 

He quietly murmurs about Will. 

Bob doesn’t seem to mind, and stays listening the whole time, Tommy quickly finishing up his point, stammering on his last sentences, snapping his mouth shut, huffing. 

“Really, it’s a bit weird here.” Tommy admits, petting a hand along the cows head absentmindedly. “Phil and Techno are kinda nice to be around, I guess. Wilbur is, Wilbur. I missed having people who just kinda listened.” 

Tommy thinks back to his last unknowing days of l’manburg. Being followed around, being monitored. Having to report his activities, on thin ice of being thrown out. 

He had to always talk to someone, about himself, but he never really said anything he really wanted to. And when he did, it was mostly in an insult of some sort. 

Tommy sighs quietly, shaking his head. He’s been talking to a cow for the past ten minutes. Maybe he should go do something productive. 

He gives said cow a gentle pat on the head before going, though, and he smiles at the sound of a small moo. 

Quickly making his way out of the room, Tommy pulls himself up the ladder, climbing back into the basement, pushing himself to his feet. 

He pushes the doors open, walking outside, letting out a long sigh into the frigid air, slight snowflakes falling from the sky. It’s cold, but it’s almost pleasant, now that it’s not biting into him, through his clothes. 

Tugging at the gloves over his hands, Tommy stares off into the trees off in the distance, mind wandering for a bit. He kinda wants to walk off, just go somewhere, explore a little, but Techno had said to not wander, and he knows if he goes, Techno will end up following. 

Which is a bit annoying, honestly. But it also leaves a warm feeling in his chest, knowing that he can’t disappear without anyone just not noticing. Tommy will never admit it, never in a million years, but he’s just a little glad for Techno being here. Just a little. Even as annoying as he can be, the way he had stood between him and Dream, yesterday, it’s just nice to know he has an ally. 

It’s good to know he’s safe, here. And while part of him still is a bit stubborn, still wants to leave, he’s just glad to stay, for now. Not forever, of course. Him and Techno, Phil, and eventually Wilbur, they still need to carry out that goal list. He still needs his disks. 

L’manburg, though. 

He knows Techno is planning something with that, but he’s not sure if he wants to stop it. He’s not that angry at Tubbo, maybe a bit bitter, but he isn’t so sure if he wants revenge like that. 

When it comes down to it, he’ll make his decision. L’manburg was home, once, and while it sits corrupt, he hopes that one day it won’t be. One way or another, he’ll make it so it’s better, somehow.

Maybe. 

Tommy blinks at that stray thought, a flash of more, and he looks to the trees to try and stop thinking. 

There’s movement, though, and Tommy raises his head, squinting at the forest and taking slow steps to the stairs, carefully. Maybe it’s an animal, or Phil? Phil made a circle back? 

It’s not Phil.

Tommy holds his breath as he sees Tubbo, walking out of the trees with a big axe in his hand, covered in armor, like he’s about to go to war. He’s followed by more people, looking the same. 

Tubbo spots Tommy. 

For a second, he’s frozen, heart constricting with pain, sorrow, and a flash of anger he didn’t know he had, and then, he’s panicking, and he runs to the steps, yelling. 

“Techno! Technoblade!” Tommy screams, opening and slamming the door closed behind him, quickly moving to the window to see Tubbo and the others make their way to the house, pointing. Tubbo looks stricken, but determined, raising the axe in his hands. 

Oh, they’re definitely not here for a good reason. 

There’s loud quick steps coming down, and Techno is halfway down the steps with a sword in hand, looking nearly worried, and Tommy smiles at the sight, even with the fact there’s intruders outside. 

“What?” Techno asks, tugging Tommy by the arm, looking him over. “Why the heck-”

“L’manburg is outside.” Tommy cuts him off, Techno stilling. “Well, the government part of it, at least. They’re geared up-” Tommy laughs nervously. “And, uh, I don’t think they’re here to just say hello.” 

Techno steps past Tommy looking out the window, and the people outside take a few steps back when they see Techno through the glass, almost glaring. 

Tommy takes a few steps back, glances to the kitchen, where his cup from earlier still sits on the table, and Techno lets out a small sigh, waving a hand for Tommy to follow. 

“Come on.” Techno says, and it leaves no room for argument, Tommy staying right on his heels as they go upstairs, into Phil’s room. 

Techno opens up chests, throws armor at Tommy, telling him to put it on, putting on a set for himself as well. Tommy works on getting the chestplate on as Techno moves around the room with a certain rush, giving his sword to Tommy, and grabbing an axe for himself. 

“Are we going to fight?” Tommy asks, and Techno pauses for just a second, thinking. 

“Not sure.” Techno responds, which probably means yes, and Tommy stumbles out of the room, into Techno’s, just to grab his blue cape from Phil, which sits on the bed. He pulls it over his shoulders with shaking hands, and nearly drops his sword when loud knocks sound out from the door outside. 

“Come on, Tommy.” Techno says, passing the doorway and going down the hall, down the stairs. Tommy rushes to follow, holding the sword close to him. 

There’s another series of loud knocks, and Tommy hears a voice coming through, Quackity’s, he recognizes. 

“Technoblade? Come out, we just want to talk.” Quackity says, and he sounds hesitant.

“I sincerely doubt that.” Techno responds, yanking curtains over the nearby window, not letting Fundy peer in. Tommy takes a step away from the door, Techno standing in front of it. “You people are geared up like you’re going to try and kill me, and I’ll be honest, I’m really not in the mood-”

“Is Tommy in there with you?!” Tubbo’s voice interrupts, Tommy freezing. 

Techno glances behind him, Tommy looking to him with a conflicted face, and Techno turns back to the door. 

“Why are you here?” Techno asks, and there’s another few knocks in response. 

“Tommy, I know I saw you! Listen, you and Techno, just come out. We, we need to talk.” 

“About  _ what _ .” Techno stresses, and it falls quiet for a second, Tommy looking to the braid that hangs behind Techno, his hair having been done by Phil before he left. Tommy offhandedly wonders about growing his own hair out. 

“If you don’t come out, we’ll bust the door down!” Fundy yells, voice wavering halfway through. Techno scoffs quietly. 

“Get off my porch first, then I’ll think about it.” Techno responds, and he flips the axe in his hand, stepping to the doorknob. He hears people shuffle away, and Tommy walks up behind him. 

“Stay here.” Techno says quietly, Tommy frowning. 

“You  _ gave _ me a sword-”

“Worst case scenario. It’s for you to protect yourself.” Techno says, and his tone makes Tommy falter, looking away. 

Techno swings open the door, walking outside to the porch, looking down the steps to get hesitant, wary faces in return. He stays standing by the edge of the top step, face bored. 

“What do you want?” Techno asks, tilting his head to the side. 

“We-” Quackity starts, then stops, Techno not looking at him, but at Tubbo. Tubbo talks instead, staring Techno down. 

“We want you to come with us for a trial back at l’manburg, for your past crimes. You need to be held accountable for your actions, for the damage you caused to the country.” Tubbo says, and Tommy stays lingering just inside the house, hands tightening around the sword. 

“Really? Come on, I’m in retirement.” Techno grins, but it really doesn’t reach his eyes. 

“You’re still coming with us.” Tubbo nods, eyes flicking to the open door, face faltering. He opens his mouth, closes it, then tries again, voice more frail. “Tommy?” 

“Listen.” Techno starts, Tubbo looking back to him, Techno glancing to Tommy standing just out of sight. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m just living here, having a good life, you guys can just go back to your government, and leave me alone.” 

“You have Tommy with you.” Quackity says, holding a crossbow in his hands. 

“So what if I do? That still doesn’t really change my point.” Techno narrows his eyes, the people below shifting glances, hesitant. Ranboo hasn’t said a word, and Techno looks over to the enderman hybrid to see eyes looking quickly away, not wanting to make eye contact with Techno. 

“Tommy?” Tubbo calls again, Techno going down a step, the people stepping back.

Tommy takes a few steps forward, standing just outside the door, and he doesn’t look at Tubbo, just looks at Techno, who gives him an annoyed face.

“Go back inside.” Techno whispers.

“I’m not going back inside, there’s literally hunters for you out here-” Tommy whispers harsly back.

“Yeah, for me, not you, I literally told you-”

“Well now I’m outside, so you can’t-”

“Do you want me to just push you through the door? Cause I will-”

“Tommy?” Tubbo says, stopping him and Techno’s whispering argument. “You’re...with Technoblade.”

“What are you  _ wearing _ ?” Ranboo asks, and those are the first words he’s said, Tommy glancing down at his clothes, at the bright blue cloth sitting over his shoulders. 

Tommy doesn’t answer Ranboo, but he looks at Tubbo.

“Yeah, I’ve been living here for a bit. After, you know.” Tommy shrugs a shoulder, Tubbo looking down, a flash of guilt over his face. “It’s, uh, well.” Tommy looks at Techno, who’s given up on getting Tommy to stay in the house, raising his eyebrows as Tommy trails off. “It’s been good.” He settles on, looking back down the stairs to find different expressions at him. He almost wants to laugh at the look of slightly disgusted pity Fundy holds.

“Tommy, you and Techno need to come with us-” Fundy starts, holding a hand up. 

“Nooot happening.” Techno drawls, walking down the stairs, the others backing up as Tommy trails right behind him. 

They stand in the snow, in front of the house, Tommy holding his sword tightly. 

“You either come with us, or we take you by force, Technoblade.” Tubbo threatens, holding his axe up in front of him. The others raise their weapons as well, but Quackity is a bit slower to follow, and Techno focuses on him. 

Glancing back at Tommy, sending a look to Quackity, Tommy remembers how Quackity had fought for him, jumping onto Dream. There’s a cast around his arm, and a bandage sitting on his cheek, and Tommy sighs. 

“Big Q?” Tommy starts, and Quackity makes a face, trying to keep his crossbow raised. “You can see that we’re not doing any harm here, right? I mean, it would make sense for you to leave us alone, dragging us back is only going to rile up more conflict, and that’s the last thing you want for l’manburg, right?” Tommy says, bitterly remembering that  _ he _ was thrown out for causing conflict, but he sends a message to Quackity with his eyes, standing next to Techno. 

‘Help me out again’ he tries communicating. ‘Come on.’

Techno looks to Quackity as well, and the man crumbles under both their stares. 

“God fucking  _ dammit- _ ” Quackity swears, pushing his crossbow into Fundy’s hands, circling in front of Tubbo to put his hands on his shoulders. “Okay, Tubbo, listen, I trust these two as far as I can throw them, and that’s not very far, but they have a bit of a point.”

“What?!” Tubbo yells, taking a step back from Quackity. “Are you seriously- You can’t- Right now?!”

“I mean, come on! Look at the man! He’s literally living in a cottage house!” Quackity screeches, throwing his arms up. Techno snorts.

“This is necessary for peace!” Tubbo insists, Quackity stammering. 

“And I think we can have peace still, if we just leave Technoblade  _ alone _ .” Quackity laughing nervously, glancing back to Techno with an uncertain face. “I mean, he said he’s in retirement-”

“What kind of man in retirement just has that kind of armor and weapons lying around!?” Fundy yells, pointing a finger to the armor Tommy and Techno wear. 

“He’s Technoblade, man.” Tommy shrugs, grinning. Techno smiles.

Tubbo shakes his head, face serious once more, setting his shoulders. 

“Really, Tubbo, listen-”

“No.” Tubbo says, and his voice is set, Techno raising his chin. “He can’t be left alone to start something again.” Tommy grimaces at the tone Tubbo holds, and it reminds him of how he talked during Tommy’s exile, sharp, no room for argument. 

“Fundy!” Tubbo yells, and Fundy holds up the crossbow in his hands, and fires, Tommy flinching back as an arrow comes flying at them, and Techno swings his axe through the air, cutting it off before it hits either of them. 

“Alright.” Techno sighs. “Last warning, get off my property, or I’ll make you.” 

He only gets glares and hesitant eyes in return. 

“Now?” Tommy asks, Techno huffing. 

“Yup.” He says, and he rushes forward, swinging for Fundy, who screams. Tommy runs at Ranboo, and has to dodge a hit from Tubbo, who holds his axe up in front of him, and shoves Quackity away, who tries to yell, “WAIT, WAIT” before giving up and trying to get his hands on a weapon.

“Tubbo, listen to me-!” Tommy starts, Ranboo deciding to go help out with Techno, who just  _ threw _ Fundy across the snow.    
  


“No, you listen to me!” Tubbo yells, and they hit weapons with a clang, before stepping back again, circling each other. “I really am sorry for exiling you, man, I’ve missed you.” 

They both hit at each other again, Tommy trying to swipe his legs out from under Tubbo, Tubbo jumping and punching a hand at Tommy’s chest, only hitting metal. They step back again. 

“Thanks.” Tommy grins. “But you really can just leave-” he swings his sword again, Tubbo deflecting it. “Me and Techno are doing just fine-”

“I can’t leave you here!” Tubbo insists, and Tommy dodges back, just narrowly missing a swipe. “Technoblade isn’t someone you can just  _ live _ with.” 

“Well, I’m doing just fine!” Tommy yells, and he doesn’t know why he gets riled up at that.

Tubbo ducks under his swing and ends up behind him, staring at the scene away from them both, Tommy doing the same. They both forget about fighting, and instead watch as Technoblade holds Quackity up off the ground, pointing an axe at Ranboo, who looks very hesitant, as Quackity kicks and yells. 

“Woah, okay, listen now-” Ranboo yells, Quackity cursing Technoblade out as he swings his legs. 

“ _ Pinche cabron, bajame- _ !” Quackity hisses out, and Techno looks like he’s seconds away from just throwing Quackity at Ranboo, before Fundy approaches from the side, holding the reins of a horse in his hands. 

“Hey, Technoblade!” Fundy grins, faltering when Techno actually turns to him. He holds a sword up the horse, threat clear. 

“Hey, no, you leave Carl out of this!” Techno aims his axe at Fundy. 

“Put him down!”

Techno points the axe to Quackity instead, who starts speaking too fast to understand. “Get away from my horse, or I’ll just kill him!” 

Tommy opens his mouth to yell for Fundy to stop, because, really, he does like that horse, but then the back of his knee is getting kicked in, and he barely has a second to process that it’s Tubbo before the sword is wrenched out of his hand, and held to his neck, instead.    
  


“Technoblade!” Tubbo yells, Techno turning with an annoyed expression, and it turns just deadly when he sees Tommy raising his hands up with a sword to his neck. “Put down Quackity.” 

“Tubbo, what the hell-!” Tommy starts, and his words get cut off when the sword just barely digs into his skin, just enough to slightly sting. 

“Sorry.” Tubbo whispers behind him, an awkward tone, before he goes right back into a dead serious voice. “Surrender right now, Technoblade!”

“ _ Don’t _ .” Techno just says, and Quackity, Fundy, and Ranboo have gone quiet and still, eyes wide. “Tubbo, you put that sword down.” 

“Your armor, weapons, on the ground, now!” Tubbo continues, voice wavering, but still loud. 

Techno throws Quackity to the side, not bothering to see how he lands, and swipes a discarded crossbow off the snow, grabbing a firework from his pocket and loading it and aiming for Tubbo. 

“You shoot, I’m killing this horse!” Fundy yells.

“Put that sword down, or I’m giving you a repeat of the festival, Tubbo!” Techno yells, and Tommy looks with wide eyes, Techno making eye contact with him, and he pauses at Tommy giving a small shake of his head. 

Not Tubbo, Techno remembers. All of l’manburg, he’s free to go after, except for fucking Tubbo. 

_ Dammit. _

“Tommy-” Techno grits out, hoping maybe just this once can be an exception.

“No-” Tommy hisses back, and Tubbo makes a grim face, then presses the sword more into Tommy’s neck. “Techno, Techno- don’t, don’t, don’t-” Tommy quickly stammers out, because he can feel just the slightest bit of blood trailing down his neck, and Techno looks seconds from pulling the trigger. 

“Your weapons, now!” Fundy yells, and Techno stays looking at Tommy, who even with a sword to his neck, still can’t let his best friend get killed. 

Techno takes a sharp breath in, and does the next best thing, aims for the sky and fires. 

There’s a loud bang, with the shimmering of the firework, and Techno just holds the empty crossbow up into the air, not even flinching when Quackity holds a sword up to him. 

He throws the crossbow onto the snow. 

“Fine.” Techno mutters, and he quickly takes off his armor, throwing it to the ground, Ranboo and Quackity grabbing it. 

Tubbo releases the sword from Tommy’s neck as soon as Techno is disarmed and without armor, and he nudges Tommy to do the same. 

“Tubbo.” Tommy says, heartbroken, and Tubbo just shakes his head. 

“Armor, Tommy. We’re bringing you back to l’manburg.” Tubbo says, and Tommy stares in disbelief, before tugging his cape off, using it to wipe at the cut across his neck, before putting the blue fabric down on the snow, moving to take his armor off as well. 

Eventually, he and Techno are left without armor, without their capes, just plain clothes, with weapons pointed at them, and they’re forced to move.

\---

Phil continues his walk far off, Wilbur rambling about anything and everything beside him, as they approach the end of the snowy biome, just up ahead. 

Wilbur walks backwards, waving his hands enthusiastically as Phil listens, and his words drop suddenly, Wilbur stopping in his tracks. 

“Wilbur?” Phil asks, raising his eyebrows. 

Wilbur stays quiet for a moment, staring off into the distance, then, “Did you see those pretty fireworks?”

Phil makes a confused face. “Fireworks?”

“Yeah! Over there!” Wilbur points from where they were walking away from, and Phil looks over, his heart freezing with Wilbur’s next words. “Back at home! I wonder what Techno is doing.”

Wilbur hums happily, and Phil stares over the trees and snow with wide eyes, because why would a firework be set off, why would either of them do that-

Unless it was to try and get Phil’s attention while he was still nearby.

Phil suddenly feels awfully sick, and he stretches his wings out, grabbing Wilbur by the arms and flying off the ground. “Hold on.”

“Oh, we’re going up- Okay then.” Wilbur says, seeming content to let Phil carry him through the air. Wilbur weighs practically nothing, and it helps with Phil trying to fly as fast as possible, worry growing and growing in his chest. 

He hopes it’s nothing. He desperately hopes that his boys were being silly, doing fireworks in the middle of daylight. 

He flies.

\---

He gets to the house, but it takes just too long, in his opinion, and he puts Wilbur down, sprinting to the porch. 

The door is wide open, letting the cold in, and Phil runs inside, trying to take deep breaths. 

“Technoblade?!” He yells, looking in the kitchen, spotting Tommy’s cup. “Tommy?!” 

He doesn’t get an answer, and he runs through the next room stumbling up the stairs. “TECHNOBLADE!?” He yells, looking in the rooms, finding nothing in Techno’s. “TOMMY!”

He pushes open his own room, and finds things thrown around, some stuff moved. He lingers in the doorway, before making his way to a chest, opening it up, and gasping quietly at finding sets of armor gone. 

“Uh, Phil!” Wilbur yells, from just outside, as Phil takes steps back, trying to think. He needs to find them, he needs to  _ find _ them, he can’t lose another- “I think I found something of Tommy’s!”

Phil pauses, then runs downstairs, making his way outside, down to the bottom of the stone steps, where Wilbur holds blue cloth in his hands. 

“No, no, no.” Phil breathes out, hands reaching out to it, Wilbur giving it with a grim look. 

“Oh no.” Wilbur says. “It’s stained.” He frowns.

Phil sees a small bloodstain at the back of it, and he sees red. 

For a second, his mind flashes to Dream, but he knows Techno wouldn’t have lost to him, not with Tommy behind him. L’manburg, he thinks, and he looks around, seeing the way the snow is disrupted, footsteps just barely visible, too many footsteps for just Dream.

“Wilbur.” Phil says calmly, squeezing the cape in his hands, spotting Techno’s cape as well, off to the side, in the snow. 

“Hm?”

“Do you think you can watch over the house for a bit? I need to go pick up Technoblade and Tommy.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UHHHH FOCUSING ON THIS STORY RLY HARD BECAUSE CURRENT L'MANBURG IS LIKE,,, DEAD AND I WANNA JUST CATCH UP A LITTLE
> 
> expect daily updates, just for a bit.
> 
> But yea! haha, execution. 
> 
> And family dynamics! Cause I know yall desperately need that. Poor dears.
> 
> Thanks for readin!


	13. Violence is one hell of a language, and here, everyone is fluent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHH
> 
> anyway I'm tired imma sleep

  
  


They’re moved towards the shore, where Tommy can see multiple wooden boats waiting, sitting in the chilly water. 

Tommy wraps his arms around himself as they walk forward, and he keeps a serious face on, even with the way Tubbo gives a warm smile, and even with the way the adrenaline has worn down. He’s a bit tired, but not exhausted, and he tells himself that if he has to, he can try fighting again, although he’s not the best at hand-to-hand combat.

Techno walks beside Tommy, the two of them in the middle of the others, weapons pointed to keep them from trying anything. There’s a moment where Techno wraps an arm over Tommy’s shoulders, squeezing in a small side hug of some sorts, and it throws Tommy off so much that he nearly stops walking all together, getting jabbed in the back by Fundy to keep going. Tommy keeps his eyes forward, and chooses to not look at Techno, but he doesn’t push his arm off. 

They approach the frozen shore, wet, cold sand under Tommy’s boots as they stop, the others talking out on who goes where, pointing fingers and chatting as Techno and Tommy stand to the side, weapons still pointed at them by Fundy and Quackity. Tommy feels an uneasiness sitting in his chest, nervous as to what the day holds, because having a trial with  _ Technoblade _ at the stand, it’s probably unlikely that he’s going to be declared innocent. Tommy isn’t sure how that’s going to turn out. 

Tommy leans into Techno with a sigh, running his fingers along the base of his neck, frowning when he feels a sting of a cut. It’s not bleeding, at least, but it still hurts, and Tommy isn’t sure how to feel about Tubbo using him as a bargaining chip. He feels like he should be angry, but he’s more relieved if anything that Techno hasn’t shot Tubbo through the heart. He feels just kinda annoyed, he thinks. He’s not really sure. 

After a quick minute of quiet words, Tommy is put in a boat with Tubbo, and Techno with Quackity. Fundy and Ranboo get their own boat, and Carl is dragged along in the water. Technoblade makes a face at seeing his horse having to swim along in the ocean water, but he doesn’t say anything about it, just sits down and stares into Quackity’s back with a small amused smile, knowing full well that it’s making the man incredibly nervous. 

The boat ride is a bit boring, Tubbo talking quietly as he rows. 

“-the walls are down, now. We’ve cleaned up the place a little, and I guess it’s not much of a difference, but I hope you’ll like it?” Tubbo asks, turning around to Tommy, who raises his eyebrows in return. 

“I mean, the walls were ugly as fuck-” Tommy responds.

“They  _ were _ !” Tubbo agrees, Tommy rolling his eyes with a smile. “I swear, I still don’t know where Dream got all that obsidian. But at least he took it down fairly quick.” Tubbo shrugs a shoulder up, Tommy nodding and looking at Techno, who keeps kicking Quackity in the back, Quackity looking like he’s three seconds from just jumping out of the boat.

“I’m happy you’re going to be back though.” Tubbo starts again, and Tommy feels some relief at hearing that, and he lets himself hope that maybe l’manburg can still be salvaged. Maybe it doesn’t have to be corrupt, or destroyed. He could convince Techno to stand down if l’manburg is actually free, right? If Tubbo isn’t a tyrant, isn’t fumbling with power, then Tommy could make a defense for him. 

“I really regret sending you away, I am sorry about that. Really. It’s just, with Dream…” Tubbo says, trailing off, wincing.

Tommy rubs at his arm at the mention of Dream, and his mind wanders to Phil’s wings, stretched out into the air in front of him and Techno, standing in the green bastard’s path. He finds himself wishing Phil turned around from his trip right now and magically found them in the ocean, flying overhead. But even as he glances to the sky, it’s nothing but clear blue.

“Yeah, I get it.” Tommy nods. “I’m still not over it, though.” He adds, sticking his nose up in the air, Tubbo snickering.

“That’s understandable.” Tubbo answers smoothly, and Tommy smiles, even with the uneasy, heavy feeling in his chest.

\---

They arrive at the docks of l’manburg, pulled up out of the boat, led over into the town that Tommy once called home. He might still call it that, he might not, he really isn’t sure right now, but it’s also not much of a concern at the moment. 

Him and Technoblade walk side by side, Tommy looking around and finding that indeed, the walls are gone, not a trace of obsidian left. It should be comforting, but Tommy just thinks about how they’re still there, even if it’s not  _ physically _ there anymore. 

There’s a split second where he worries about Dream and the consequences of him being back in l’manburg, but Tubbo gives him a beaming smile, and he assumes that it’ll just be taken care of, trying to stomp down the slight fear sitting in his chest, trying to swap it out for the calm demeanor Techno holds beside him. 

But it doesn’t really work as he walks up to the front of a stage, several seats scattered behind him, like a show is about to start. The feeling of fear jumps up into his throat as he raises his head up, looking at the small bit of redstone he can see, the anvil waiting up high, and the iron  _ cage _ . 

Tubbo walks up some steps to the side, Tommy following the president with his eyes, seeing him walk past a switch that's connected to the redstone, no doubt. 

“Tubbo.” Tommy says hesitantly, Tubbo clasping his hands together and standing tall up on the stage, giving a warm smile to Tommy. It doesn’t help. 

Fundy walks past them to take Carl somewhere else, and Techno tries following him, getting only swords in his way. 

“Hey!” Technoblade yells, huffing in frustration as his horse gets led away. “That’s my horse, if you guys forgot. I still want him around.”

Tommy flicks his attention to each face around him, and he sees Quackity staring at Fundy with a conflicted look, Ranboo slightly nervous, Tubbo, up on the stage, nervous as hell, but looking like he’s powering through it, trying to keep confidence, like he’s about to give a nerve wracking speech. 

“Uh, don’t worry! Fundy isn’t going to hurt him, really, I promise your horse will not be harmed.” Tubbo nods, Techno only raising an eyebrow. 

“Forgive me if I don’t want to take your word for it.” Techno deadpans, Tubbo looking to the ground with an understanding expression, pursing his lips. “Also-”

“Tubbo, what is this?” Tommy asks, staring at the cage with confusion. Tubbo stills, clearing his throat. 

“It’s for Technoblade, actually. Techno, uh, can you come up here, please?” Tubbo asks, waving a hand to Tommy. “You can sit down over there, Tommy, if you want.” Ranboo walks up behind him, tugging at Tommy’s arm, suggesting to sit next to him. Tommy ignores him in favor of sharing a wary look with Techno. 

Fundy comes back to them, horse put away, and he holds a sword in his hands, nodding to Techno for him to follow up to the stairs. Quackity helps, standing on the other side of Technoblde, holding a crossbow in his arms, face carefully blank. 

Techno hesitates, glancing at Tommy before turning around, staring at Tubbo up on the stage. 

“Come on.” Fundy waves a hand, Techno making a face.

He looks at Tommy hesitantly again, then takes a step forward, Tommy wrenching his arm out of Ranboo’s grip, lunging forward and grabbing Techno by the hand, Fundy and Quackity looking at him surprised. Techno just looks a bit relieved. 

“No, wait-” Tommy says, keeping Techno from being led up to the stage by keeping a death grip on his hand. He turns his head to Tubbo, who fiddles with his tie from where he stands. “Tubbo, what the fuck is this?” 

Tubbo doesn’t answer, Tommy seeing a flash of guilt before it’s replaced with determination, Tubbo shaking his head. 

“Technoblade, you need to be up here.” Tubbo orders, waving his hand for Fundy and Quackity to bring him up already. 

“What sort of trial is this?!” Tommy yells, tugging at Techno’s hand, Fundy trying to pull Techno to the stairs, getting nothing. “Tubbo, answer me!”

“Go sit down, Tommy.” Tubbo suggests, and he feels Ranboo tug at his arm, Tommy giving him a death glare before turning his head back to Tubbo. 

“You said we were here for a trial-!” Tommy yells, Techno squeezing Tommy’s hand back as he looks left and right, staring at the weapons pointed at him, considering and trying to make a plan. 

“There  _ is _ no trial!” Fundy snaps, putting a sword in between Tommy and Techno, Tommy not letting go and only narrowing his eyes at Fundy as a blade hovers very close to his face-

Techno punches Fundy across the face, the fox getting thrown to the ground with the force of it, and Tommy chokes out a swear as arms wrap around him, yanking him back, making him lose the grip he had on Techno’s hand. Technoblade doesn’t get the chance to try fighting Fundy, Quackity pointing his crossbow into the back of Techno’s neck as Tommy gets pulled back.

“Fucking let go! Get off me!” Tommy yells, kicking his legs and trying to be as impossible to work with as possible, Ranboo just desperately trying to drag him over to a seat. 

“Sorry, sorry- look, we can sit down-” Ranboo tries saying, quickly getting cut off by Tommy.

“I’m  _ not _ fucking sitting down- Tubbo!” Tommy yells, Techno finally going up the stairs, Fundy and Quackity leading him into the cage.

Tommy stills as Tubbo turns to him, blinking with an expression Tommy can’t place, and he nods to himself, as Techno grabs at the bars in front of him. 

“Okay, this isn’t really looking like a trial, shouldn’t I get a lawyer? That sounds like something I oughta get-” Techno says, glancing up to the anvil high over his head, and Tommy glances up with him, losing his breath as he realizes.

“Okay, I lied.” Tubbo admits, Fundy standing to the side, Quackity making his way down the stairs to help Ranboo, with Tommy’s who’s started struggling even more now. “You’re not getting a trial.”

“Tubbo!” Tommy yells, slamming a foot into Ranboo’s shin. 

“Look, I-” Tubbo looks down to Tommy, huffing. “Tommy, stop it!”   
  


“Seriously?! You just put Technoblade in a cage, we’re here against our will, you’re going to tell me to just agree with being dragged into a fucking chair, like I’m gonna be just perfectly fine with-”

“STOP IT!” Tubbo yells, and Tommy does, slowing in his movement. “You’re  _ here, _ for my decision, for the good of l’manburg.” 

Tommy shakes his head just the slightest bit.

“I’ve decided, that, after some consideration, TommyInnit will be put under house arrest in l’manburg, rather than being exiled. He’ll stay in house arrest, until he can be trusted to not cause more conflict.” Tubbo says, Tommy choking out a laugh of disbelief.

“What?”   
  


“And for Technoblade, for his crimes against l’manburg, for the, well, the awful lot of terrorism, really-”

“Come on, man.” Technoblade mutters. 

“He will be executed.” Tubbo finishes, and Techno’s eyes widen, and Tommy goes dead still. 

“Tubbo.” Tommy says, slowly.

“Actually, if you want, you can go into Phil’s house rather than watching this, this is kinda gross to watch-”

“Tubbo, you can’t be serious-”

“I am.” Tubbo nods, holding a hand up to his mouth. “I’m completely serious about this.” He turns to Technoblade. “For your crimes that you have commited, you will get what you deserve. You’re dying here, today, in that cage, Technoblade.”

Technoblade looks slightly impressed, and his eyes turn to Tommy, who’s started struggling again, desperate, and his face falters. 

“Tubbo, stop it!” Tommy yells, and he pulls at his arms with all his strength, kicking his feet and trying to run up to the stage, to do  _ something _ . 

He doesn’t want to stay in l’manburg, he realizes with a sharp pain in his chest, he doesn’t want to be here, under Dream’s thumb, in a country where corruption simmers in every leader. He wants for Ranboo to stop pulling at him. He wants for Technoblade to get out of that cage.

He wants, and he nearly laughs at the stray thought, he wants to go sit at the fireplace back home, and drink hot chocolate, with Phil, Wilbur-

Tommy makes a sound of pain as Ranboo tries grabbing onto his arm, where there’s still bandages under his sleeve, mostly healed up, but still not pleasant to have a death grip on. 

Technoblade looks at the top of the cage, grabbing on with his hands and about to try climbing his way out of it, only to nearly get his fingers cut off with Fundy swinging a sword at him, the sword clanging against metal. 

“Get off me!” Tommy shrieks, leaning down, putting all his weight to the floor to try and make them let go. “Tubbo, stop it! Stop it!”

“Tubbo-” Technoblade starts, and Tubbo ignores him completely, turning his back to him. 

“This is necessary, Tommy, listen-!”

“I don’t want to fucking listen to you!” Tommy screams, his knees hitting the floor as he keeps trying to get to the stage, with not much progress. Ranboo and Quackity share a hesitant glance at the way Tommy’s voice wavers, and while Ranboo just feels bad, Quackity is starting to question this a little. 

“Cover your eyes, then!” Tubbo screams back, and he turns to Fundy.

“Technoblade!” Tommy yells, Techno trying to climb out again, getting a sword slicing at the side of his hand, and he groans, holding it to his chest, blood coming from the wound as it stings- “Techno!” 

“Tubbo, let’s talk-” Techno quickly says, Tubbo shaking his head. “You don’t have to- Would you just listen to Tommy-?! Look at him!”

“I don’t wanna talk.” Tubbo responds quietly, and he goes over to flip the switch. Technoblade looks around, looking at Tommy, who’s still screaming like he’s the one getting killed, trying to hit Quackity in the face. He looks over to Phil’s house, which lays empty, his eyes glance to the horizon, the sun just starting to set, red blooming across the sky, and he looks at the sky, seeing something. 

Or someone.

“STOP IT!” Tommy yells, again, and Tubbo might be yelling something back, Techno doesn’t know, he’s not paying attention, he’s squinting out past the docks, noticing someone flying over with wings. 

He’s not going to make it, Techno realizes, Tubbo and Tommy yelling at each other, as Tubbo keeps a hand on the switch. 

Techno reaches into his pocket, watching Phil get closer, traveling fast, but not fast enough. 

“You really want to defend him after everything he’s done?!”

“Like you’ve been better?! You’re fucking repeating history, you’re repeating history-!”   
  


“SHUT UP! I AM  _ NOT- _ ” Tubbo hits his hands to his face, gritting his teeth. “I’m-” Tubbo pauses, like he’s about to say something more. 

He just pulls the lever instead. 

Redstone glows as the switch gets pulled, and Techno can see Phil’s face from here, pissed off, angry-

“TECHNOBLADE!” Tommy screams, Technoblade looks up, reaches in his pocket, fingers closing around the totem in his pocket. He can see Phil approaching fast, and he pulls out the totem, holding it to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut as Tommy  _ screams _ . 

There’s the sound of a loud  _ crack,  _ then shimmering, bright green and gold overtaking his vision for a few seconds, and he feels like he’s been dunked in lava then thrown into freezing cold water, gasping for air as he tries to blink his eyes through a mess of bright green magic. 

His arms shake as he pulls himself out of the cage, and anvil now under his feet, rather than over him, and he falls to the wooden floor of the stage, crumpling to the ground as he tries to catch his breath.

Tommy is able to pull away from Quackity and Ranboo, finally, and he runs to the stairs as fast as he can, as Tubbo stands in front of Techno on the ground in disbelief, and Fundy points past Tubbo to the air-

“WHAT THE HELL-” Fundy yells, before Phil comes flying in, kicking Tubbo so hard, that he flies back and slams into Fundy, the two of them falling off the stage while screaming.

He turns around, wings spread out wide, and Ranboo is stuck in place out of shock and fear, mostly, fumbling to grab a sword as Tubbo yells something about countermeasures, and Quackity-

Quackity doesn’t go to grab a weapon, he just stares, losing his breath in one fell swoop, and staring at Phil’s wings, feeling like he’s been punched in the gut. With the way Tommy was struggling, probably.

But wings aren’t allowed in this world.

Flying isn’t  _ allowed _ .

And yet Phil looks like he really doesn’t give a fuck.

It’s a split second, time freezing for Quackity as Phil looks down, turning to where Fundy is trying to circle back around, back up to the stage with a sword, and Quackity gets a hold of himself, feeling like he’s just been freed from a certain chain. 

Phil has his wings out, out in the open, ready to fight, with eyes that just burn, like nothing can stand in his path, and so Quackity runs past the stage, ignoring Tubbo yelling for him to help as Phil knocks Fundy down the stairs with zero hesitation, Fundy rolling with a shriek.

Tommy’s on the stage, having fallen onto the ground with Techno, grabbing at Technoblade’s arms to try and push him up. 

“Techno! Technoblade, holy shit-” He grunts as he lifts Technoblade up, Phil jumping off the stage and dodging an arrow, swiping a leg under Ranboo’s feet, making him slam into the ground, facefirst- “You gotta get up, man, we need to go-”

“I’m- Phil’s-” Techno says, trying to calm himself, because everything in him is currently screaming, and his hands still tremble as he tries to push himself to his feet. 

“He just kicked Tubbo off the stage, did you  _ see _ that-?!” Tommy laughs, Techno scoffing, raising his head and taking a gasping breath in, trying to simmer down the adrenaline running through him. 

“Our stuff.” Techno says, and Tommy stills, getting up and looking around, glancing to where Phil is holding a sword he picked up off the ground, flying up to the stage and landing in front of Tommy. He holds his wings out, shielding Tommy from view as he puts his hands on his shoulders. 

“Are you guys okay?! Techno-” Phil flinches violently, his left wing shuddering as an arrow goes into it. 

“Phil-!” Tommy yells, as Phil turns around, folding his wings back and ignoring the sharp pain that comes with it, about to just throw his sword, when he finds he doesn’t need to.

Fundy yelps as he falls backwards, an arrow coming out of nowhere and nearly stabbing him in the foot. Ranboo runs for cover as another arrow comes down, helping Phil out, and Techno pushes himself to his feet, looking up to one of the high buildings, and the sun is too low, the shadows are too dark, but there’s someone on a roof shooting with a bow, keeping the people of l’manburg away with the thread of getting sniped.

Tubbo is running across the scattered seats in front of the stage, and he ducks for cover when an arrow flies down, hitting the chair just beside him-

“Hey!” The three on the stage turn their head, and Techno immediately goes to grab his axe as it’s thrown onto the wooden stage, sliding to them. Quackity circles around the stage on Carl, and Phil raises his wings back out, ready to tackle Quackity right off-

“I’M ON YOUR SIDE DON’T KILL ME-” Quackity screeches, Phil kneeling down and gripping Quackity by the arm, nearly pulling him off the horse all together.    
  
“My  _ horse _ !” Techno yells, sounding offended, then he jumps off the stage to where Tubbo is trying to make his way over, swinging his axe down, Tubbo stumbling backwards. An arrow comes down from the sky, Tubbo stumbling even more back as Techno holds the axe out in front of him. 

“You’re on our side?” Phil asks, and it’s sharp, Quackity’s face paling with the look he’s getting-

“I gave you the axe, I got the horse, please do not kick me-” Quackity says quickly, Techno tackling Ranboo in the background.

Phil pauses, then his face calms down, and he turns to Tommy. “Then take Tommy with you, go to the docks, and get back to the house. If you do anything else other than that, I’m going to-”

“I got the point!” Quackity yells, and someone’s thrown dynamite onto the stage, Phil looking with wide eyes and yanking Tommy by the wrist, getting off the stage just as the wood gets shattered with a blast. 

“Tommy-” Phil starts.

“Phil!” Techno yells, taking cover behind a chair, Fundy setting a stick of dynamite with shaking hands, throwing it over, to where Techno wacks it with his axe, hitting it to the side and letting it explode on the front of Phil’s house instead. Whoops.

“I’m not just going to-” Tommy tries to protest, but they both duck as an arrow shoots at them, from up high again, and Phil looks around to find that there’s now two people on the roofs, each aiming for a different side. 

“Okay, who are the crazy people just shooting at us from the buildings?!” Techno yells, then ducks as an arrow flies over his head. 

“Tommy, go!” Phil yells, and Tommy climbs onto the horse, Quackity taking off immediately, barely getting missed by another arrow. 

Phil runs to take cover with Techno, and squints up at the top of the buildings, seeing that now instead of the arrows flying down, the people are shooting at each other, trying to get the other to fall off the roof. 

“Any idea who those are?” Phil says, Techno wacking a stick of dynamite away before ducking down again, ignoring the boom. 

“I think one might be Dream. No clue who’s shooting at l’manburg, though.” Techno mutters, and Phil looks to his house, which is crumbling at the front. 

“Okay, follow me.” Phil says, and Techno nods, the two of them running. 

\---

Niki will be honest, this isn’t what she saw herself doing for tonight, shooting back at Dream as an entire fight breaks out, with Technoblade somehow cheating death, and Quackity and Tommy just booking it out of the town. 

She should be restocking the bakery, she thinks, as she lets loose another arrow, aiming for Dream’s head again. She needs more milk, she reminds herself, and shoots down at Fundy, aiming so she’ll just barely miss, and Fundy falls to the ground for cover, rather than following Phil and Techno. 

Niki is a little tired of sitting to the side, with things like this happening. With Tommy’s exile, the absolute disaster that was, that had been terrible to watch from a distance, because she knew how Tommy was, she knew the teen has a knack for just creating problems here and there. 

But getting hunted by Dream as he screams in fear to try and escape l’manburg, that’s not anything he deserves.

And now, with Techno’s execution? With the way Tubbo hadn’t given a chance, too scared of letting the country fall into danger, with the way Tommy had screamed, it made her wish she could just  _ do _ something. 

She then got her hands on a bow and plenty of arrows, and told herself, “wait, I  _ can _ do something.”

Said something is try and shoot Dream’s head off, gritting her teeth as she ducks again, glancing to where Phil and Techno had ran into the house, and she worries for Phil, he was always kind, at least, and she saw that arrow, who knows who shot it, but it had gone straight into his wing-

Phil’s house then bursts into flames, exploding from the inside, and Niki screams, stumbling, and sliding down the roof as debris flies at her, at Dream, and she falls, then hits the ground, rolling. 

Getting up on shaky legs, she wonders if Phil and Techno lived through that, then rethinks, and wonders how much TNT Phil just rigged his own house with.

Running into the dark, with night thankfully hiding her, Niki considers her choices, looks at the stage of where someone was supposed to be executed, and then runs, making a small plan. 

So, maybe restocking the bakery will have to wait. 

\---

“Are you okay? We can slow-” Phil says, heaving Technoblade along, who’s limping with a bad wound on his shin.

“Do not.” Technoblade shakes his head, and Phil nods, the two of them running out of the town, making to get into the trees, into the safety of night shadows, so they can rest, then make it home. “I’m fine, I’m good-”

“You’re seconds from falling, Techno.” Phil says, grinning even with the sharp pain in his wing making him wince. 

Both him and Techno got roughed up with the blast, Techno had been hit in the leg with a piece of flying debris, and Phil had hit the ground hard, but they were still able to get away, the burning house being enough as a distraction, as l’manburg retreated to get away, rather than go look to see where Techno and Phil went.

So now he and Techno are slowly getting away from the chaos, Techno holding onto his axe with one hand, holding onto Phil with his other arm. Phil would try flying them a little farther, but he needs to tug his arrow out before he gets anywhere.

“Just a scratch.” Techno answers, and Phil snickers, because his leg is covered in blood, it’s not a scratch. Techno smiles, then stops, Phil about to ask if he’s alright again, before realizing Techno is staring at something. 

Phil looks ahead, and resists the urge to sigh in frustration, only shifting his face into something threatening. 

Dream stands ahead of them, breathing heavily, looking like he ran, fists held tightly as his sides, ash and dirt all across the side of his hoodie.

“You.” Dream says, and Phil steps in front of Techno, using his wings to cover him from view, even as Techno protests quietly.

“Get out of our way.” Phil says calmly, Dream shaking his head.

“On one condition.” He says, Phil narrowing his eyes, Techno holding onto the back of his shirt. “Breaking my rules end in  _ consequences _ , Phil.” 

“Let me fight-” Techno whispers, Phil pushing him back, shaking his head to both Techno and Dream. 

“I’ll give choices, here.” Dream holds his hands out. “Either cut your wings, or I kill Techno. I know you both can’t take me on, you’ve had a long day.”

Phil hates that he’s right, because Phil is exhausted and in pain, and Techno is literally leaning onto him for support, his leg still bleeding badly. 

“You want to clip my feathers again?” Phil asks, Techno huffing. 

“Not the feathers.” Dream says, turning his head to the axe in Techno’s hand. “Those grow back, as we can see. You want to leave?”

Phil goes dead still. 

“Give me the axe. I’ll make it quick.”

“Phil, I swear, my leg is fine, I’ll hold him off-” Techno whispers, and Phil shakes his head, turning to Techno. 

He lowers Techno to the ground, and Techno immediately tries getting up, falling again, blinking away pain, and realizing his axe is gone. “Phil-”   
  


Phil walks over to Dream, who holds a hand out, smiling under his mask, no doubt. 

“Phil, don’t you  _ fucking- _ ” Techno gets ready to ignore the way he wants to pass out, and finds that he doesn’t need to, because Phil grabs Dream by the wrist, instead of handing over the axe, and  _ yanks _ . Dream stumbles, and Phil raises the axe up, too quick, quiet, burning anger in his eyes, Dream raising a hand and yelling-

And quieting, as Phil lets Dream fall into the ground, kneeling down with him. 

“I’m not losing anything to you.” Phil says, barely audible. “Not again.”

Dream doesn’t respond, and Phil tugs the axe out, now much more red, and Techno can only stare as Dream’s body turns grey, Dream respawning somewhere else, as his body withers away. 

Phil turns to him, then grins. Techno has to hold back a laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY so I'll be honest, not too confident about this one, but then again I'm sleep deprived, so I'm going to act like I've written the best thing ever because,,,,??!! confidence
> 
> YEAH I WROTE THAT WOO
> 
> uh, I hope you like it, if you don't thats okay, I'm just kinda vibing, 
> 
> but thank u for reading
> 
> (btw ye Phil basically cut Dream's head off, haha, coolio)


	14. So many regrets in these ocean waters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel writer's block breathing down my neck and I will fucking stab it with a sharpened candy cane and KEEP ON WRITING

As soon as Tommy climbs onto Carl, Quackity is on a mission to just get away as far as possible, as fast as possible, ignoring the one or two arrows that follow as fighting breaks out behind them. He doesn’t stop for a breath or to even really think about his bad life decisions, half because he really wants to get out of there before he gets an arrow through the shoulder, half because he’s sure if he doesn’t listen to Phil and doesn’t get Tommy back to the house, he’s going to get shish-kebabed.

He’s already in deep trouble for Technoblade, a criminal who was supposed to be executed, giving him a literal  _ weapon _ , and while he’s sure l’manburg might arrest him for that, he has a feeling that Phil would just shank him rather than give a civilized trial if he doesn’t get Tommy back.

Quackity starts to feel himself wonder of what he just got himself into, and he shoves that all the way down, because, you know what, he’s going to regret this  _ later _ .

Not right now, though, right now, he’s just steering a stolen horse with Tommy sitting behind him, who’s turning around and trying to get a good look at the place they’re trying to get away from. 

Tommy doesn’t seem to be too worried about the fact that the execution stage literally blew up into fiery pieces as they left, and is actually tugging on Quackity’s arm, insisting on turning around as they get to the docks. 

“Phil probably can’t fly out because he’ll get shot down, and they’ll both get followed if they run, so if we-” Tommy starts, frowning as Quackity stops the horse at the edge of the wooden path over the water, making a sharp ‘ch’ noise to cut Tommy off. 

“I’m going to stop that thought process right now, I think maybe they got it-” Quackity stammers out, jumping off of Carl, keeping a hand on the reins in case Tommy just decides to steal the horse and run. There’s still one of the boats sitting in the water below, and Quackity waves an arm towards it. “-look, a boat, how about we-”

“Wait, are you on our side now?” Tommy asks, Quackity just waving his arm towards the boat more frantically.

“Uhhh, well, we’re not gonna go calling sides-”

“No, I’m quite sure you’re now on  _ our _ side-” Tommy jumps off the horse, jabbing a finger into Quackity’s arm. 

“I mean, I’m just helping out-”

“Isn’t this technically treason or some shit? Are you going to get arrested-?!”

“Just get in the boat!” Quackity yells, his voice squeaking for a second with the current panic running through his veins. 

\----   
  


It’s a bit hard to row with his hand still in a cast, and dragging a horse behind them, but he manages, pushing through the waves out into the ocean, farther and farther away from l’manburg. 

The sound of rowing through the water is consistent, and while it could be calming, it does nothing for Quackity’s nerves as the adrenaline simmers down and his thoughts start creeping back up of the failed execution.

He should have not done that. 

He should really not have done that, for fucks sake, he’s  _ part _ of l’manburg, there are plenty of things he should’ve done in that fiasco of an execution. 

He should have helped Tubbo, should’ve used the horse as leverage again, tried to fight Phil, rather than go and give assistance to the  _ person being executed for his crimes _ . 

Quackity is a part of l’manburg, the literal vice president, he’s supposed to help  _ run _ the country, protect it, not criminals escape from justice. Although, he will admit, maybe the justice they were serving was a bit warped, a bit cruel. 

It was Technoblade, he tells himself. Out of anyone, that’s probably the guy who deserves to be executed. But part of him still disagrees, and he can’t make it say anything different. 

He just helped a wanted criminal of l’manburg escape. Is helping one escape right now, leading Tommy right back home. And, while Tommy was just exiled, and not as bad as Technoblade, he still worked with said Technoblade, and he’s pretty sure Tommy’s going to get added to the wanted posters or something-

“ _ Godammit _ .” He swears under his breath, taking his hands away from the oars and leaning over, letting out a long sigh. “I’m so stupid, what the hell.” He whispers, putting his face into his hands, gritting his teeth. He’s pissed at himself right now, he wants to jump off the boat and just float on the frigid waves, away from the consequences of his stupid actions. 

But he’s not entirely mad. He’s somehow, just a little relieved. Which is dumb, because he’s in a boat out in the middle of nowhere, with Tommy in the back, off to go to Technoblade’s house, but he can’t help but feel like somewhere, deep down, he’s made the right choice. He’s not sure how to process that. 

Tommy taps his fingers against the wood of the boat, poking at Quackity’s back. “Are you dead?”

“I’m going to be in so much fucking trouble.” Quackity answers, Tommy giving a nervous laugh, as if he fully knows the sort of terrible decision Quackity just made. “God, I can’t go back after this! I’m the vice president,” He turns around in his seat, looking at Tommy. “and I’m helping  _ you _ get away!”

“Ohhh, they’re probably not going to be very happy about that, huh?” Tommy grins, and Quackity resists the urge to slam his hand against the wood of the boat. “They’re gonna be pissed when you go back! Are you going to get arrested? Or, like, fired?”

“Probably!” Quackity yells, turning his back to Tommy again, groaning. “I’m so stupid.” 

“Maybe.” Tommy hums, making a sound of consideration. “Hey.”

“What?” Quackity mumbles out, his face still in his hands. 

“Look at me.” Tommy says, and he sounds calm, and Quackity is hit with extreme confusion, before curiosity, because he’s not sure if Tommy’s about to give him a pep talk or something, but he lifts his head up and turns back around anyway. 

He then finds his head snapping to the left, the side of his face burning as he gets slapped across the face by Tommy. 

“OW?!?” Quackity yells, leaning back, holding a hand to his cheek. “WHAT THE FUCK?!”

“ _ That’s _ for dragging me and Technoblade out for him to go get fucking murdered.” Tommy huffs, dusting his shirt off, raising his chin up to unknowingly show off the cut across his neck, and Quackity feels a lot of his anger kinda just slip away. 

“Okay, you know what, fine, I guess I deserved that-” He gets hit across the face again, swearing. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the first one, but he still yells anyway. “Ow!?”

“And that’s for motivation, my friend!” Tommy grins, eyes gleaming with ideas, and Quackity really isn’t sure what he just got himself into, oh no- “Come on, you’re with us now! Technoblade isn’t that bad, Phil’s nice- oh, did you know we have a cow?” 

“What.” Quackity says, mostly in shock because oh no, he’s with  _ Technoblade _ now. “No, no, I’m not with you, no, no, no-”

“Uh, yes. You sealed your fate when you helped a war criminal escape his execution.” Tommy says matter of factly, and Quackity screams into his palms. “I mean, you really can’t turn back after that, and- hey, you know, I bet Technoblade is still a bit pissed, but it’s kinda mean to just have you sleep in the snow-”

“I’m not-”  _ going to stay with you guys _ , Quackity goes to say, but then he debates on actually going back to l’manburg after the shit he pulled, and he finds that he’s not so ready to do that. 

“You can sleep in the basement, there, that’ll work!” Tommy nods, clapping his hands together and holding them to his chest. 

“I’m not sleeping in a basement!” 

“Why not?! You  _ want _ to sleep in the snow?” Tommy asks, raising his eyebrows. “Hey, you do you man, maybe-”

“No, I’m not-!” Quackity takes a breath in, tugging at his beanie over his head. “I can’t just stay with you people- I made a mistake, fuck, I’m- We need to go back.” He turns around in his seat, going to grab at one of the oars, Tommy yanking at his arm before he can do anything. 

“Woah, no, no, we are not going back. I’m exiled, and you’re probably a wanted criminal now.”

“You’re also a wanted criminal!” Quackity throws back, pointing a finger at Tommy. “You’re working with Technoblade!”   
  


“Well, yeah, I mean, we are working on a lot of shit, we have a goal list, it’s in the kitchen-”

“Oh great you have a fucking list-” Quackity breathes out, looking up to the stars for strength.

“But we haven’t committed any crimes yet!”   
  


“YET.” Quackity repeats, intense regret coursing through him, along with some burning anger as he grabs the oars, rowing towards Techno’s horse regretfully. 

Oh, he should have never fucking helped them, he should have never gone to free the damn horse, never should have grabbed that axe and thrown it onto the stage, should have never taken Tommy and ran-

He should’ve stood by Ranboo, stood his ground when Phil-

Quackity pauses. 

When, when Phil-

When Phil flew in, right from the sky, to kick the literal president off the stage. He  _ flew _ , with his wings, out in the open, for anyone to see. Kept his wings out while he fought, used them as he held back l’manburg from Techno, who was still recovering from escaping death-

Quackity’s heart aches, so bad, and he can’t tell if it’s regret, fear, or slight grief. His back feels sore.

“You good?” Tommy asks, noting how Quackity had suddenly gone so very still. “Big Q?” He sounds actually worried, and Quackity shakes his head, clearing his throat and sitting up, rowing again. 

“Hey, uh, Phil-” Quackity keeps his eyes forward, focused on the land off in the distance. “Phil, he had his wings out, back at l’manburg. Had actually flown there.” 

“Yeah.” Tommy answers, he sounds almost proud. “He’s been using his wings more often, taking care of them and shit.”

“But that’s- that’s not allowed.” Quackity says, hesitantly. “Dream made that clear, Phil isn’t even supposed to  _ have _ his wings out.” 

Tommy hums, and he assumed he must’ve shrugged behind his back. “We don’t care about what Dream wants anymore. We don’t listen to him, or his rules. He can try enforcing them all he likes, but-” Tommy lets out a scoff. “As if Phil and Techno are gonna let that happen.”

Quackity lets out a long breath, and the boatride lapses into silence again. He turns Tommy’s words over in his head, trying to let them sink in, because surely there are consequences to just, plain not listening to Dream? Surely they can’t just  _ do _ that?

“Isn’t this  _ his _ world, though?” Quackity says, after a minute of thought, and Tommy laughs, actually  _ laughs _ . 

“Eh. For now.” He says, and Quackity feels like screaming again. “That’s what Phil said, anyway.”

There’s another surge of sudden relief as Quackity hears that, because, sure, he just made the stupidest decision  _ ever _ in helping these insane people, but if he’s on their good side, then…

Technoblade and Phil aren’t people to mess with. Quackity would never dream of working with them and their crazy fucking ideas, but now he’s practically a criminal in l’manburg, he’s got an exiled teen in his boat, and it’s well into night, his home far, far behind him.

Disregarding Dream, who is the last person you want to piss off in this world, brushing him off like an annoying bug, that’s something that takes a  _ lot _ more than just being brave and stupid, that takes  _ power _ , of knowing you can brush off the consequences of pissing off the owner of these lands. 

What the hell did I just get into, Quackity wonders, fear and a slight bit of excitement in his chest as he rows the boat over to shore. What the  _ hell _ did I just accidentally join.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I MISSED POSTING YESTERDAY SO HERE'S THE FIRST CHAPTER FOR TODAY, SECOND ONE COMING OUT IN LIKE,,???
> 
> i dunno, it can take me hours to write this stuff lol (But I shall get it posted today!!)
> 
> thank you for reading!


	15. Duckling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooo quackity centric chapter???? such intrigue, truly
> 
> I'm tired, but I'm gonna play legend of zelda instead of sleeping, because I make Bad Life Decisions
> 
> enjoy
> 
> *I EDITED THIS CHAPTER AT THE END, SO IF YOU NOTICE A DIFFERENCE,THERE'S WHY*

Phil helps Techno into the shadows of the nearby trees, and they keep walking for a little while, enough so that Phil won’t have to worry about anyone trailing behind them, finding them. 

They stay by the shore, though, following the side of a large river, and once Phil determines it far enough, he sits Techno down, ripping part of his sleeve to wrap it around his leg, which is still soaked with blood, but Technoblade doesn’t seem too concerned. 

Phil’s shirt is splattered with red, along with the axe in his hand, and he ignores it and tells himself they can wash it off soon enough, going over to cut down a tree with the axe he used to murder Dream, going to go and craft a boat. 

He was serious about Dream not being able to take anything from him anymore. Dream thinks he has power, thinks he has authority, but it really means nothing when you just plain don’t listen. What good is Dream then? What power does he hold then? At that point, he’s not the god of the world, he’s only an annoyance trying to tear down others, with little success. 

Phil thinks of Quackity, choosing to help, and he might be worried about sending Tommy off with him, if it weren’t for the fact Quackity still had that cast around his arm, and had thrown the axe over to the stage for Technoblade. He helped Tommy before, he’s doing it again. And with the axe, just doing that, in front of the people he’s supposed to be working with, giving loyalty to, it means that whether he’s realized it or not, he’s joined them. 

Phil hums as he chops into wood, making a crafting table. The plan was to destroy l’manburg, burn it to the ground, and while he’s definitely going to do some of that, Phil is thinking of maybe stealing a few people from it before he does. With the way l’manburg went today, maybe he’s not even going to need to do too much convincing. 

He glances to Techno, who closes his eyes as he rests against a tree, not asleep, just resting, and he wonders if they’re going to need more room in the house. 

\---

Quackity and Tommy use Carl to travel through the snowy biome, Quackity being the one to lead them there, because he had been the one holding the map, when l’manburg tracked down where Techno resided. While Tommy lives there, he’s only traveled over once. Hasn’t exactly explored much since.

As they go, Tommy grills him with questions that make him want to fall off the horse, face first into the snow. The guilt he has from betraying l’manburg isn’t helping. 

“Who’s idea was it to go after us? Me and Techno?” 

“Well, we didn’t even know you were with Technoblade, we thought you were just off living in the wild like a crazy person-” Quackity answers, Tommy jabbing him in the back, making him wince. God, his back is sore. 

“I am not fucking _crazy-_ ”

“ _However_ ,” Quackity says loudly, cutting off Tommy’s rebuttal. “Fundy had some sort of hit list he made. Brought it up during a meeting, and we talked over the people in it, agreed on getting peace one way or another, by taking care of threats.”

“Yeah, Technoblade is a pretty big threat.” Tommy grins, Quackity not doubting it. “Who else was on the list?”

“Dream.” Quackity answers simply. “But we didn’t want to get on his bad side just yet, with him just giving l’manburg independence.”

“Oh.” Tommy goes quiet for a second, and Quackity resists the urge to glance behind him, even with how Tommy had suddenly gone very dull- “Is Tubbo doing okay?”

“Uh, well-” Quackity clears his throat, and he’s honestly thrown off by how caring Tommy sounds, about his best friend, even if the president had literally held a sword to Tommy’s neck earlier today. These kids. “He’s been running l’manburg, busy with meetings, and planning. Been trying to stay on good terms with Dream.”

Tommy sighs, but it’s more dramatic than sad, and Quackity is glad, he’s not sure if he can deal with another mopey kid. 

“No, that’s what he’s _doing_. How is he? Is he okay?” Tommy asks, a hint of annoyance in his voice. 

Quackity takes a moment to respond, having to really think about it, thinking about Tubbo working late nights, writing up plans for construction, writing up plans for countermeasures if they were ever attacked, checking up on the people, checking up on the supplies. 

He thinks of when Tubbo would always take time out of his day to watch the sunset on the bench by the l’manburg tree, knees pulled up to his chest, watching the horizon with a tired face. Quackity never joined him, never went to go sit with him. He kinda wishes he did, now.

“He misses you.” Quackity settles on. “He’s happy, I think, with how l’manburg is going, but he does miss you.”

“Maybe I can schedule a visit outside of l’manburg or something.” Tommy mutters, tugging at the gloves over his hands, shivering in the slight snow that falls from the sky. “Don’t tell Techno though. Or Phil. Or Wilbur. You snitch and I’ll stab you.”

“Snitches get bitches.” Quackity grins, laughing at the jab in his arm he gets in return.

“It’s _stitches_ -” Tommy says, snickering himself with the butchered saying.

“Nope, I’m pretty sure it’s bitches, man-” Quackity cuts himself off with a barely held back laugh, and he shakes his head lightly.

They fall into a comfortable silence then, and when a house pops up in the distance, lights on, smoke from the chimney, Quackity tells himself he is not scared, and goes towards it. And he’s right, he isn’t scared. 

Incredibly, unbearably nervous is a better way of putting it. 

They get off the horse when they’re close enough, Tommy waiting for Quackity to put it back into the stable before leading him up to the porch. There’s dim, warm light coming through the windows, and Tommy doesn’t knock on the door, just lets himself in. 

“Hellooo?!” Tommy yells, Quackity stepping to the side, the door closing behind him, and he scans the inside of the house, noting the warm fireplace, the dim kitchen to the side. He looks up at the stairs in curiosity, and chooses to just stay still, as Tommy yells out into the house. “Anyone home?!”

“Tommy!” Someone yells from upstairs, and Tommy grins, Wilbur practically running down the steps to sweep Tommy off the floor and swing him around. Tommy shrieks, looking thrown off when Wilbur finally puts him down. “I’m glad you’re back! I’ve been very busy, I cleaned the kitchen, and washed up your cape, because it was stained, and that was a bit hard to take out- Oh, is Phil on his way back? I kinda miss him, and I thought he and Technoblade would be with-”

Wilbur turns around, his words coming to a halt as he stares at Quackity, who stares back, trying for a friendly wave. Wilbur doesn’t return it, only leans into Tommy’s ear, whispering loudly. 

“Tommy, there’s a guest in our house.” Wilbur says, holding a hand over his mouth as if it’ll help with covering his voice. 

“Yeah, today was a busy day, l’manburg tried killing Techno, Phil dropkicked Tubbo, but Big Q-” Tommy walks over, slapping a hand onto Quackity’s shoulder. “Helped us out, and let us get away, so now he’s with us.” 

“Well-” Quackity goes to try and disagree, and doesn’t come up with anything, choosing to just give a shrug. “Yeah.”

“Oh, new friend! You’re going to be staying with us?” Wilbur smiles, clapping his hands together, kicking his feet off the ground for a moment, floating up before going back down. 

“He’s gonna sleep in the basement.” Tommy says, Quackity sputtering. 

“Hey, wait, I didn’t agree on that-”

“Well _I_ agreed on it, and you’re not sleeping in my room, so-”

“So I have to sleep in a basement-?!”

“You want to steal Techno’s bed, instead?” 

“That is very much what I _don’t_ want-!” 

“The basement is a bit cold.” Wilbur says, ignoring the two bickering in front of him. “Oh, I’ll get you a blanket! And a lantern!” He then goes off upstairs, to do just that. 

“I’M NOT SLEEPING IN A BASEMENT!”

“No, no, you’re sleeping in the basement-”

“I swear to fucking god, I’m not gonna-”

\---

He went into the basement.

Wilbur was a bit right about the basement being kinda cold, the ground under Quackity holding a chill to it. The lantern beside him is warm and bright, though, and it makes the room seem almost cozy, with the blankets under him and the dim light. 

There’s a bunch of chests stored to the side, and Quackity kinda wants to look through them, but chooses not to, just out of being polite, for now. 

“You can just chill here, Phil and Techno might give you a visit when they come back, so, be ready for that.” Tommy had said ten minutes earlier, standing by the door as Quackity tried to hold all the blankets Wilbur had shoved into his arms with a bright smile. 

So now here was, sitting and finishing up the rest of a bowl of soup he got from the kitchen, after he got a hasty tour of the house, Wilbur dragging him around as Tommy warmed up food in the kitchen. 

“And here’s upstairs, that’s Phil and Techno’s room, that’s Tommy’s room, although it used to be Techno’s, but Techno just kinda lets Tommy sleep in it-” Wilbur rambled, pulling Quackity halfway up the stairs, pointing down the hallway to the two doors lying ahead. 

“This is our main room, we have the fireplace, we have these chests, there’s a crafting table over here, and there’s this nice rug Phil put down, it’s blue-!” Wilbur pointed down to the main room, what Quackity had been observing when he first walked into the house. 

“And the kitchen! There’s the table, there’s the counter, there’s food in some of the chests, we get it from a village nearby-” Wilbur nodded, Quackity standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen, Tommy raising his eyebrows at Wilbur, who was floating in the air over the table. 

“What’s that?” Quackity had asked, pointing to a piece of paper stuck to the wall. 

“Our list thing.” Tommy shrugged, shoving a hot bowl into Quackity’s hand. Wilbur quickly went to go grab it, almost throwing it at Quackity with an excited face. 

Quackity looked over the small paper in his hand, messy with a bunch of doodles and scribbled out words, but he could make out two lists written out in different handwritings. 

Rules:

  1. Tommy can’t go running off like a hooligan
  2. Stop stealing Techno’s shit ~~fuck you~~ (Tommy respect Techno’s things) ~~no _STOP STEALING MY THINGS_ NO~~ (just ask beforehand)
  3. No mingling with Dream
  4. Wilbur is not allowed to cook under any circumstances. _it was just one fire :(_ it was three, Wilbur



To do list:

  1. Destroy Not-L’manburg (Except Tubbo) (And Niki! :D )
  2. Delete Dream
  3. Retrieve Tommy’s Disks
  4. Collect totems
  5. World Domination
  6. Go shopping again (We’re out of carrots) 



Quackity makes a face at rule number four, and makes an even more perplexed face at number one and two on the to do list, looking up to Tommy. 

“You’re going to _what_ with l’manburg?!” And _what_ with Dream, Quackity also asked internally.

“Not-l’manburg.” Tommy corrects.

“Not-l’manburg.” Wilbur nods, plucking the paper out of Quackity’s hands, going to put it back on the wall. 

“Don’t worry about it Big Q, Phil can tell you in the morning. Now about the basement-”

And so then Quackity got put in the basement, with plenty of blankets and a warm lantern at his side. Tommy and Wilbur had gone back into the house, and while Quackity debated making a run for it, he wasn’t really properly dressed for this type of weather, and he’s pretty sure that he’s safe here, even with it being Technoblade’s house. 

Putting the now empty bowl to the side with a small thunk of wood against stone, Quackity sits back on the pile of blankets, stretching with a wince. His back fucking _hurts_ , and he would properly rest, if it weren’t for the fact that Phil or Techno could walk in at anytime. So, instead, he turns over onto his stomach and sighs, trying to ignore the dull ache of his wings. 

\---

It takes a while for Phil to row them across the sea, and while he does, him and Techno swap places for a bit so he can tug the arrow out of his wing, gritting his teeth with the sharp pain that comes with it. There’s a bit of blood on his feathers, and he frowns at the sight of dirt scattered over it, running his fingers through to just try and get at least any bits of debris or dirt out. 

“Is your wing okay?” Techno asks, turning his head as he pushes against the water, eyes concerned. 

“I’m good. Stings a bit, but not so terribly bad.” Phil hums, grabbing a handful of water from the cold ocean to rub the blood off. He doesn’t like the sight of it, even if it’s not that visible in the dark feathers. He’s been without his wings for too long, and now that he has them, he _will_ take care of them. “Want to swap again?”

“Nah, I can keep going.” Techno shrugs, and Phil hums, continuing to wash the blood and dirt off, until his wings are just cold and damp. He can properly wash them soon. He just wants them to be less all over the place. 

They swap places once, then finally get to the icy shore they know, finding a discarded boat sitting in the water. Phil smiles at the sight, and Techno looks a bit relieved, the boat being evidence that Tommy and Quackity had gotten back. 

From the shore on, Phil carries Techno through the air the rest of the way, ignoring the slight irritation of the wound in his wing, and grinning through the sharp, cold air when home pops up in the distance. 

\---

Phil helps Techno up the stairs, opening the door carefully to see Wilbur sitting by the fireplace, face lighting up, but he doesn’t go to tackle them in a hug like he always does, just gives an intense wave, and staying still, Tommy’s head resting on his legs as he sleeps. He’s knocked out cold, bandages wrapped around his neck and his cape sitting over his shoulders as he sleeps on Wilbur.

“Hey, Will.” Phil says softly, closing the door behind him, leading Techno to go sit on a chest. 

“Hello! Tommy said Techno nearly got murdered today- Oh, your leg-!” Wilbur says, face going into worry as Phil goes to grab some potions and bandages. 

“Sh.” Techno holds a finger to his lips, reaching down to unwrap his bloody leg. “Don’t want Tommy having this be the first thing he wakes up to.” He says, and Wilbur nods very seriously, raising a hand to his mouth, acting as if he’s zipped it. 

Phil takes a bottle of water, a rag, and a healing potion, and helps with Techno’s leg, as Techno puts his crown to the side and unties his braid, which has become messy and half-undone in the chaos of today. Wilbur watches them silently, a small smile on his face as he rests a hand onto Tommy’s sleeping head. 

A few minutes later, Techno’s leg is newly wrapped, much better off than before, and he doesn’t need Phil to help him stay standing anymore, although he still has a slight limp. It’ll heal fully by tomorrow, with Techno drinking a potion too, but for tonight, he just needs rest. Phil takes some bandages for himself as well, but just for his left wing, to keep the wound covered as he takes a few sips of a healing potion. 

“Where’s Quackity?” Phil asks, half worried that the man had just brought Tommy here, then ventured out on his own into the cold. 

“He’s in the basement.” Wilbur whispers, pointing a finger below. 

“I should probably go check on him.” Phil nods, stepping to the door as Techno talks quietly to Wilbur. 

“Should probably get Tommy into a bed.” Techno whispers, Wilbur nodding up at him. 

“I’m gonna carry him.” 

Techno pauses, watching as Wilbur goes to stand up, putting his arms underneath Tommy.“You sure? I mean-”

“No, you’re hurt. I’m gonna carry him. I need you to open the door, though.” Wilbur nods again, voice set, and he lifts Tommy off the ground, standing to his feet with a smile. 

“Alright.” Techno shrugs, and goes to walk upstairs, Wilbur following right behind. Tommy sleeps on. 

\---

Quackity is nearly asleep when a knock sounds out at the door, making him jolt up, then grimace, sighing heavily at the ache behind him. 

He looks to the door, but there’s only another knock, so Quackity answers. “Come in.”

Sitting up on the blankets, Quackity yawns, then freezes at seeing Phil come in, closing the door behind him. 

“You’re actually just sleeping in the basement. This was probably Tommy’s idea, wasn’t it?” Phil asks, walking over to Quackity, who stumbles to his feet, nodding. He has no clue how Phil can still give such a warm smile and seem so friendly and trusting, even when there’s blood splattered across his shirt like he’s killed someone. Quackity takes a small step back, standing off of the blankets and eyes glancing down to the crimson in the fabric. 

Phil looks down, seeming like he just remembered about the blood. “Oh, it’s not mine. Don’t worry.” He waves a hand, and Quackity just nods with his mind a constant repeat of ‘what the fuck, what the fuck did I get myself into, I’m so dead-’

“Your, uh, wings.” Quackity points out, seeing a bandage wrapped around one, bright white as a contrast against the darker feathers that Phil has. For a second, one stupid overreactive second, he thinks the worst, Phil’s lost them, they’re too injured to do anything useful-

“Just an arrow. I can still fly, nothing bad.” Phil reassures, Quackity raising his eyebrows, ignoring the sense of relief in his chest. 

“I thought-” Quackity stammers at Phil’s waiting look. “I thought flying wasn’t allowed? You’re not even supposed to have them visible, right?” 

Phil just shrugs, grinning. “They’re my wings. I decide what to do with them.” 

Quackity nods slowly, staring at the feathers on Phil’s back. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, of course, that makes sense.”

“You’re alright down here? It isn’t cold?” Phil asks, a bit of a laugh in his tone as he looks down to the blankets laid down on the ground, and Quackity looks down at the lantern dimly lighting the room, wincing for a moment and rolling his shoulders back. “Are you hurt?” Phil asks, much more serious, now, and Quackity snaps his head back up. 

“No.” Quackity answers, and Phil looks him over, checking for any blood stains, any obvious injuries. He sets Quackity with a stern face. 

“Are you sure, mate?” He asks, and Quackity clears his throat, nodding, waving a hand in front of him. Phil narrows his eyes for a second, and Quackity feels like he’s going to die, guilt or something along those lines running down his neck. “We have potions and bandages upstairs, I don’t mind you needing some.”

“Yeah, yeah, no, I’m good, really. Just kinda tired, you know? God, it’s been one hell of a day, it’s ridiculous.” 

Phil huffs, smiling as he crosses his arms. “It has. I’m really glad you helped us out back there, though. I know that must’ve been hard.” 

“It’s nothing.” Quackity shrugs, regretting it as his back screams again. He keeps a strained smile. 

“Thank you, though. Really. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like, Quackity.”

Quackity nods, smiling, for real, and he stares off to the side, chest warm. It’s a moment of silence, then, and Quackity is just about to say goodnight and kick Phil out, before the man in front of him gives a loud, weary sigh, throwing his head back. 

“ _Okay_. Come on.” And just like that, the careful tension in the room just dies, along with Quackity, because Phil gives him a determined look, a slight bit of fire in his eyes, the same burning he had hours earlier. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“No-” Quackity shakes his head, Phil scoffing before he can get another word out. 

“Sure, mate. I’m sure that you’re just wincing for literally no reason. You’re just looking like you’re in pain ‘cause you’re _tired_.” Phil’s voice is laced with sarcasm and a slight warning, pushing at Quackity. 

“I am _fine_.” Quackity defends, crossing his arms, Phil only looking more amused. Quackity tries to push down the slight panic in his chest. “It’s been a long day man, lay off.”

“It has been a long day. I’m tired as fuck, I want to go to sleep, but I’m not doing that until I know you’re not hurt.”

“I’m not hurt!”

“Then what’s wrong?” 

Quackity rolls his eyes, rubbing his hands against his face.

He looks up at Phil again, who looks back with raised eyebrows. Quackity can’t help the way his gaze goes to the wings on Phil’s back again. 

They both stand in uncomfortable silence, Phil waiting for Quackity to come out with it already, and Quackity internally debates the pros and cons of coming clean. Phil can be trusted, right? With this sort of thing-

“You...” Quackity starts, staring at the floor, tearing his eyes away from the wings on Phil’s back. “You do know of Dream’s rules, right? Of...wings.” 

“I heard of it.” Phil nods, not sounding concerned. “They’re  _ my _ wings.” 

“Right.” Quackity nods. “I’m just kinda worried, I mean, I got this-” He raises his arm, showing off the cast. “-from the green bastard himself, after Tommy’s exile, so, you know, breaking the rules directly, flying, that’s, that’s ah-”

“Quackity.” Phil says lightly, Quackity pausing. “Do you know the rules?” He asks, like Phil just needs to be reminded. 

“No flying.” He says, and he remembers Dream telling him when he first joined the world, stern. “No having your wings out. They can’t be regulated, or something. So you can’t have them at all.” 

Phil hums, nodding. “And how do you know that?”

Quackity freezes. Phil narrows his eyes. 

His back fucking  _ hurts _ . 

“Huh?” 

“How do  _ you _ know that?” Phil asks, taking a slow step forward, Quackity taking one back. “I mean, there’s not much of a reason for you to know that at all, if I’m the only one that those rules apply to. “ 

Quackity takes a big step back, trying to grin and shrug, but his shoulders scream in protest, and he feels like swearing. He’s pretty sure it shows on his face. 

“I, uh, asked.” Quackity says, and not believable at all, and he could make a better defence, could actually try and make Phil give up and leave, but there’s a part of him that really, really wonders how it is to be like him, to just be able to fly. 

Phil just stares at him with a thoughtful look, crossing his arms. “Why.”

“Okay, I didn’t ask.” Quackity blurts out, and he’s speaking before he thinks, mouth on autopilot- “The rules apply to me too.” 

The look on Phil’s face goes from slightly suspicious and stern to surprised, to absolutely floored in three seconds flat. 

“ _ What _ .” Phil whispers, and he sounds like he’s in awe, and Quackity can’t help but feel a little cool, with the way his heart is racing at admitting that, with the way that finally, finally someone knows- “You, you have- Holy shit, you have wings?!” 

A laugh bubbles out of Quackity, slightly nervous, slightly pained. “Y-yeah! I do, I do, actually, but I haven’t had them out in front of anyone for, a long while, actually-” 

“Can I see?” Phil asks, and he sounds literally excited, god, Quackity doesn’t want to make friends with this guy, being the fact he’s a criminal and is probably going to burn l’manburg in like a week, but he gives a warm smile to Quackity, patient and with a light in his eyes, and Quackity can’t help but feel some sense of pride for the wings on his back, even with how mistreated he knows they are.

“They’re not pretty.” Quackity warns, holding out his hands, taking in a deep breath at the ache in his back. “And also, it’ll take me a bit to actually get them out, so-”

Phil’s face drops, then turns almost angry for a split second. Quackity feels near death with the fire in Phil’s eyes, and is then reassured when he finds that the anger isn’t directed towards him. 

“How do you put them away?” Phil asks, slowly. 

Quackity grimaces, and holds a hand to his side, where the bandages tug at his skin-

“Okay, shirt off-” Phil says, walking quickly over to Quackity, Quackity slapping Phil’s hands away, taking a step back, Phil following. 

“Woah, ey, buy me dinner first, man-” Quackity laughs, Phil smiling. It does not reach his eyes and it somehow scares the absolute shit out of him.

“ _ Quackity _ .” Phil stresses.

“Oh, okay, okay-” Quackity fumbles with the zipper of his jacket, tugging off his shirt, giving the clothes to Phil, who throws it to the side, uncaring of where it lands.

Then he’s just standing there, staring at the floor as Phil stays dead silent, staring at him. 

There’s bandages wrapped over his chest, as if he might be hiding a wound of something, but’s nothing like that, they’re like that to keep the feathers on his back tucked in, squashed flat by the wrappings, tight against his back. It’s sore as hell, and Quackity kinda wants to poke at it, but he doesn’t move, instead just waiting for Phil to say something. 

He carefully looks at Phil, and he isn’t sure what to feel when he sees the look on Phil’s face, something sad, mixed with anger and grief, and near horror. He puts his hands to his mouth, taking in a shaky breath, and Quackity feels a twinge of shame in his chest. 

Then Phil reaches at him again, tugging at the bandages on his side. Quackity wacks his hands away again.

“Hey, hey, watch it-”

“Oh my god, Quackity-” Phil reaches out and grabs Quackity by the arm, making him turn so he can look at Quackity’s back to see the small bit of feathers poking out. “That’s not good for your  _ wings- _ how long have you had them like that?!”

“Since the morning?” Quackity shrugs, wincing. “I do this everyday, it’s not-” He says, and nearly regrets saying it, because Phil’s eyes go wide. 

“You  _ what _ .” Phil looks even more horrified. 

“Dream’s rules-”

“ _ Fuck _ those rules.” He hisses, and the fire in his eyes makes Quackity’s words die in his throat. 

Phil picks up Quackity’s jacket from the floor, throwing a blanket over his shoulders and dragging him out of the room, leaving the lantern and the rest of the blankets in the basement.

“No, no, this isn’t- okay, come on.” Phil says, pulling Quackity by the wrist, Quackity struggling to keep the blanket over his shoulders, shivering at the slight chill of being outside, snow falling. 

He nearly stumbles on the stairs with the way Phil is tugging him, and Phil pulls the door open with a huff, pushing Quackity inside before following, closing the door quietly behind them. 

“Go sit by the fire, mate.” Phil suggests, and walks off into the kitchen, not waiting for a response. 

“I- Uh.” Quackity falters, noting the warmth of the house, a grand contrast from the slight chill of the basement downstairs. “Okay.” 

He walks over to the fireplace carefully, like anyone might jump out and attack him, and it’s justified, he’s currently in the wanted criminal’s house. But brushing off the slight wariness, he sits down on the rug, shrugging the blanket off his shoulders, and after a moment of hesitation, twisting at the cloth in his hands, he goes to pick at the bandages around his wings. 

It’s been a long day, his back hurts like absolute hell, and he’s pretty sure Phil wouldn’t mind him just taking these off. He usually has scissors for this though, it’s tedious to just unwrap it. 

Phil comes back into the room, conveniently with scissors in his hands, and Quackity gives a half wave, holding his hand out. 

“Mind if I use those?” He asks, and Phil waves a hand, going to sit behind Quackity. 

“I got it.” 

Quackity goes to turn around, getting stopped by a hand at his shoulder, and there’s a slight bit of fear in jumping up into his throat at the thought of someone getting anywhere near his wings. 

“Oh, no, you don’t have to-”

“Let me.” Phil cuts him off, and his voice just sounds broken, as if it’s his own wings being wrapped like this, held painfully down in order to hide them. “Just- let me.” 

Phil’s got wings, Quackity reasons. He can be trusted with this, at least. That, and with the way he sounds so hurt, Quackity finds himself nodding, shifting so he sits up straight, back turned to Phil. 

There’s the quiet snip of scissors in the room, along with the fire crackling, and Quackity lets his gaze drag over the chests against the wall as his wings feel lighter and lighter, the soreness kinda going away. It never leaves entirely, but it leaves enough to where when the bandages are all gone, Quackity lets out a sigh of relief, rolling his shoulders back with a face. 

“God, finally.” He groans, stretching his arms up as Phil puts the scissors down, pushing the remains of the bandages to the side. “You got no idea how-” Quackity glances behind him, pauses at the look on Phil’s face. It doesn’t look any less conflicted than earlier. 

“Oh.” Phil breathes out, and Quackity has to tear his eyes away, staring at a wall instead, because Phil looks absolutely devastated, and Quackity isn’t sure he’ll be able to keep from crying with him looking at him like that. “They’re clipped.” Phil says quietly. 

They’re so  _ small _ , Phil thinks, dulled out, yellow feathers pressed together, in a way that just looks painful. The ends of them are cut in jagged, broken lines, and Phil can’t tell if he wants to cry or cut off Dream’s head again with the sight before him. Wings, just like him, and they could be so much bigger, so much stronger, but they’re cut, mistreated. Phil can’t help but feel some sort of responsibility. 

He raises a hand to Quackity’s wings without thinking, and there’s a choked sound as Quackity jolts away, turning around and scooting backwards. 

“ _ Hey- _ ” Quackity frowns, narrowing his eyes like he needs to fend off Phil, but Phil’s not going to hurt him, nothing along those lines. Quackity still scoots back warily anyway, rolling a shoulder as Phil gives a smile that he hopes is comforting. 

“Sorry, sorry.” Phil apologizes, holding his hands out. “They’re just- well. They look-”

“Like shit?” Quackity deadpans, raising his eyebrows. “I mean, yeah, I don’t exactly take care of them.” 

“You really should. “ Phil suggests, and Quackity just shrugs, the feathers on his back shifting just the slightest bit, sore. 

Phil looks behind Quackity, resting his hands on his lap as Quackity keeps his distance, the two of them sitting in front of the fireplace, just a bit of space between them. 

“Did Dream do that?” Phil asks, voice strained. 

“You know the rules.” Quackity says, tilting his head to the side. “We’re not supposed to have them out.”

Phil nods, frowning. God, he should have gotten rid of Dream a long while ago, so many have been hurt by his rule, and sure, his boys are priority, Tommy, Techno, Wilbur, but this?  _ This _ , Quackity may have never been close, but this just feels personal. 

“I cut them.” Quackity admits, Phil going even more impossibly still, hands curling up in his lap. It takes a second for him to respond. 

“...you what?”

“I clip them myself. Keep up with it. It’s either me doing it, or Dream, and I’m not letting him touch my wings.” Quackity says, and there’s a certain amount of spite in there, Phil hears. He’s glad for that.

“Or you could just not cut them at all.” Phil suggests, offering a small grin.

“Tried that once. Dream gave a random checkup, took scissors into his own hands. I hated it. He cuts them too short.” Quackity mutters, and Phil’s heart squeezes. 

“Let me preen you.” Phil responds, and Quackity coughs, choking on surprise. 

“ _ What _ ?” He asks, and Phil leans forward, holding a hand out and grabbing Quackity by the arm, tugging insistently. “No, hey, look man, thanks and all-”

“They’re mistreated.” Phil says, and he sounds so hurt when he says it, and Quackity tells himself he’s not getting swayed by it, even with the sad look in Phil’s eyes. “And probably sore?”

“-well, yeah, but you don’t-” Quackity nearly falls forward, Phil tugging at him. “-I deal with this everyday, I don’t-”

“ _ Quackity _ .” Phil stresses, and Quackity looks up at Phil’s face, seeing how earnest he is about this. “For my sake, at least. I can’t sleep tonight knowing they look like this.” 

“That’s a bit much.” Quackity mutters, but Phil’s face doesn’t change. “Fine.” 

Phil tugs at his arm again, and Quackity goes to sit in front of Phil, back towards him, trying to push down the growing fear in his chest as hands grab at one of his wings. 

It’s fine, Quackity reassures himself. Phil’s hands aren’t cruel, they’re not pulling and yanking like-

His wing slowly gets stretched out, for what feels like the first time in forever, and it’s slightly painful to be honest, Quackity taking a deep breath in and grimacing, and Phil just murmurs out an apology, fingers running through feathers to try and straighten them out at least a little. 

Quackity closes his eyes, biting at the inside of his cheek, not being able to shake the nerves off him, even with how startlingly gentle Phil is with his feathers. 

“This isn’t happening again.” Phil says, voice full of determination, Quackity only making a slight pained noise when his other wing gets stretched out. Phil holds the tips of yellow feathers in between his fingers, runs his thumb over the jagged, cut line. “I won’t let this happen again.”

Quackity scoffs, chuckling. “Dream-”

“Got killed a few hours ago.” Phil mumbles, and Quackity freezes, before relaxing again when Phil runs his fingers through the back of his wing. But the shock is still in his chest. “And he’s  _ not _ allowed here.” 

Phil’s clothes are splattered with blood, Quackity remembers. 

Phil had reassured him earlier that it wasn’t  _ his _ blood. 

Quackity lets out a shaky breath, of both disbelief and comfort, because the hands in his wings feel nice, a grand contrast from the way his head is yelling, because Dream got killed, Dream got  _ killed _ ?

By the man who’s currently straightening out his feathers, slowly and carefully, and Quackity almost wants to laugh, because the hands in his wings are the same hands that fucking  _ killed Dream _ . 

“This isn’t happening again.” Phil says, but it’s far off, and Quackity hums, only able to close his eyes and think, maybe he made the right choice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WINGED QUACKITY
> 
> yeah, you knew it, I knew it, we all saw it coming, we all love to see it. 
> 
> Miiight not post tomorrow, for this story at least, I'm neglecting my other stories, woe
> 
> But thanks for reading! Much love
> 
> *I EDITED THIS CHAPTER AT THE END PART nothing big got changed, it's more or less the same, but I made it a bit longer, I think. So yeah*


	16. Unrestful mornings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can feel the fire of burnout lick at my heels, and I'm going to spit at the flames to put them out, because I got things to do, goddamit
> 
> anyway, TAKE THE CHAPTER

Tommy wakes up abruptly, sitting up like he’s about to jump off the bed, start running. A scream nearly finds its way out of his throat before he’s slapping a hand over his mouth, trying to immediately choke down the way his heart is beating out of his chest. 

His mind flashes with Techno, laying on the ground, on the  _ stupid _ stage-

He closes his eyes again, takes a deep breath, letting it out in a frustrated sigh. He keeps waking up like this, and it’s starting to get annoying. Sure, he’s had the occasional nightmares before exile, how could he not, with the shit that has happened, but now it feels like he hasn’t woken up slowly even once. It makes him exhausted thinking about it, and he considers laying back down, going back to sleep, even with the bright morning sunlight that’s peeking through the window. 

Swinging his feet off the bed, Tommy thinks back to yesterday, frowning as he remembers falling asleep downstairs, waiting for Phil and Technoblade to get back. Someone must’ve moved him upstairs, tucked him in, too. 

The thought makes him warm, and he lets himself smile, just a little, in the safety of not being seen, alone in the room. He can’t keep the warm feeling though, and it freezes up as he wonders if Technoblade and Phil ever got back. He never saw them return, Wilbur might’ve just brought him up here to sleep, what if they didn’t get back-?

He quickly gets to his feet, ignoring how the warmth of the bed is stripped away, and he opens the door, going out into the hallway, looking both ways, straining his ears for something. 

There’s the sound of light chatter downstairs, probably in the kitchen, and there’s the faint smell of food in the air. Tommy goes to follow it, taking a step down the stairs, but he stops, instead turning around, looking to the other room down the hall. 

It sits just slightly open, sunlight coming from the windows in the room, and Tommy is walking towards it without even thinking, keeping his steps light, socks skimming against the wood floor as he leans in to peek through the open gap.

Techno’s sitting by a desk inside, hands busy drawing over a map, writing out letters, symbols, future plans and possibilities, neatly scribbled out. His back is turned to Tommy, and he doesn’t notice the teen spying just outside the doorway, too immersed in future ideas, still half asleep from waking up only about 10 minutes ago. 

Tommy doesn’t really notice the map, though, or blood soaked clothes that are thrown to the side in a pile, he just sees Techno, then immediately pushes the door open, running into the room.

He nearly slams into the back of Techno’s chair, throwing his arms over Techno’s neck and holding on tight, as if he lets go, he’s going to lose something. Leaning over, he shoves his face into the crook of his own arm, closing his eyes and telling himself that this is just because Technoblade nearly got murdered yesterday. He can give a single hug for that. It’s entirely justified, he’s entirely in the right, and he’s definitely not embarrassed at the fact that the first thing he’s done this morning is throw himself at Technoblade for a hug. 

Techno jolts as Tommy grabs onto him, and he drops his pencil onto the desk, the pencil rolling across the map before Techno stops it with his finger, so it won’t roll off the desk as a whole. He reaches his other hand up as he stops the pencil, grabbing Tommy by the wrist, turning his head to see who’s attacking him. He half expected it to be Wilbur, but Wilbur’s not quiet. Neither is Tommy, usually, though. 

As soon as he realizes he’s actually  _ not _ getting an attempt on his life, and it’s just Tommy being clingy, he sighs, shoulders dropping, squeezing Tommy’s wrist as a acknowledgment. 

“You could have given a warning.” Techno says, more amused than anything, and Tommy gives an annoyed sound. 

“This never happened.” Tommy declares, voice muffled in his arm. “I am just glad you’re not dead.” 

Techno raises his eyebrows, looking at Tommy through the corner of his eye, and he smiles, leaning his head onto Tommy’s for a moment. “Thank you.”

“Mhm.” Tommy raises his head, Techno picking up the pencil from the desk. Tommy finally notices the map, eyes glancing over the colors on the paper. “What’s that?” He asks, Techno letting go of Tommy’s wrist to lay both his hands over the edges of the map. 

“A map.” 

“I can see that, idiot.” Tommy mutters, Techno huffing in almost a laugh. “What’re you doing?”

“Marking down some territories. I’m thinking this-” He trails a fingers along a blue line that’s traced around the entire snowy biome they’re currently in. “-can be ours. Make it our own land, the start of the whole new Antarctic Empire. Should be a bit of a deterrent, keeping others from just walking onto our land, hopefully.”

Tommy stares at the map, making a skeptical face, glancing over to where l’manburg is circled as well, outlined in red. 

“We can’t just do that.” Tommy says, because he remembers how stupidly hard it was for l’manburg to get independence at all, and to keep it, Dream wouldn’t just let this happen. “Can we?”

L’manburg had tried it’s best, and it barely got the freedom it hoped for, having more or less lost it by now. They can’t just make a new land, create a new haven, they’ll get only pushed down. 

But then again, this time around, they have both Phil and Techno.

“No one can stop us.” Techno assures, and he sounds quite sure of it. “Me and Phil have talked over it, I’m still thinking of going after l’manburg, I have plans for that, but we also want to just get the whole world, kick Dream out of power, you know, all the fun stuff.”

Tommy grins at the casual remark of world domination. “You want to make a new nation?”

“Eh, not really. I’m not trying to rule over anything. I don’t really want power. I just wanted to destroy l’manburg, but now Dream is also on the to-do list, so, we got a lot ahead. Freedom, revolution, all that.”

This gives Tommy nostalgia, almost. Pogtopia, days of starting out a new fight, common goals lined up. “Why are you so onto l’manburg?” 

“Government sucks.”

“Well, yeah, they kinda tried killing you yesterday, makes sense to have a grudge, but, like, before that.” Tommy’s not sure if he’s baffled or annoyed at l’manburg for the stupid shit that got pulled yesterday. Part of him wants to yell at Tubbo, ask what he was thinking. Part of him just wants to  _ see _ Tubbo. “Were you just planning on burning l’manburg before I got exiled?”

“No.” Techno answers simply, scribbling down onto the paper before him. 

Tommy makes a face. “What? Then why-” Tommy pauses, trying to find proper words. Why would Techno just jump right back into his violent tendencies, like he never left? Why would he be insistent with Tommy catching up, as if Techno had been planning something all along, and Tommy just dropped in right in the middle of it? “Why are you destroying l’manburg?”

“What, you don’t want me to?” 

“Uh-” Tommy stops, before deciding he’s not defending the town. It’s fallen a bit too much for him to really want to defend it entirely anymore. “No. No, I’m with you on that. It’s a bit of a mess. But, why?”

“I’m pretty sure yesterday was a good reason why, Toms, nearly getting executed is a good motivator for destruction-” Technoblade supplies, voice calm as he twirls a pencil in his hand. 

“Before that!” Tommy whines, sighing and putting all his weight forward, so he can maybe annoy Techno into answering, by making him lean in his chair. Technoblade hardly budges. It’s as if Tommy isn’t even pushing him. “Why?” 

He’s not entirely sure why he’s so insistent on this, but he really does want to know, even if it’s a stupid reason, like retirement got boring, or something-

“For you.” Techno says, and Tommy’s mind freezes. Techno doesn’t keep going, just makes a little mark on the map, correcting some symbol as a minute of silence sits in the air.

“What?”

“You got exiled.” Techno says, voice matter-of-fact, calm. “You passed out in front of my house, nearly freezing to death. You were-” He hesitates, tapping his pencil against the desk. “-hurt. I thought some revenge would be nice.”

“I didn’t-” Tommy stammers, smiling, feeling like laughing. “I hadn’t even wanted revenge. Still don’t, not really.”

“I do. Phil does, as well. Pretty sure Wilbur would agree, even if he doesn’t quite grasp it all.” 

Tommy stays quiet at that, humming in response. He had thought they were going after l’manburg because of the whole ‘government is bad, time for anarchy’ thing, but this sorta puts another perspective on it, and he’s not sure how to take it. It’s comforting, somehow, knowing they want to destroy a nation for him. It’s also a bit funny, and kinda intimidating, if he’s going to be honest. 

Techno yawns, patting a hand onto Tommy’s elbow, getting up from the chair. Tommy pulls his arms off, taking a step back, half wondering what Phil’s making downstairs.

“Say, when did you-” Tommy starts, his words dying in his throat when Techno pulls him into a hug, tucking Tommy’s head under his chin. Tommy awas going to ask when they got back last night. The question is gone, lost in the distance, because Tommy is dumbfounded by the fact that Techno’s just holding onto him, as if nothing is wrong, as if Technoblade gives out hugs regularly. 

“Are you drunk or something?” Tommy asks, carefully hugging back, eyes wide as he stares to the side, his ear to Techno’s chest. His voice is sharp, nearly mocking, but he hugs Techno like he’s scared.

“Nearly died yesterday.” Techno gives as a response, and Tommy processes that. “Things could’ve gone way worse. I could’ve been here, one less life, and you would’ve been in l’manburg, under house arrest.”

“You would’ve broken me out, probably.” Tommy says, huffing. “Or I would’ve broken out myself, fought them all head on, I would win-”

“I would’ve gone back for you.” Techno cuts him off, Tommy’s mouth clicking shut. “If that happened, we- I’d probably get Phil, plan something. You would be there for less than a day.”

Tommy thinks about Tubbo, thinks about if he had been in house arrest, if Techno had been killed, properly, and Phil hadn’t come, he probably would be so pissed at Tubbo right now. He is, a little, right now. But Techno’s fine, and Tubbo’s lost one of his own men, with Quackity on their own side, so Tommy doesn’t have too much to be ticked off over. 

“Good to know.” Tommy mumbles, smiling. 

They stand there for a moment, quiet save for the faint noises coming downstairs, from the kitchen, Wilbur saying something in a chipper tone. 

“Alright, that’s enough emotions for today-” Techno says suddenly, pushing Tommy off, Tommy falling to the floor with a scream. Techno doesn’t even spare a glance at him, walking to the door. 

“Oh, you fucking-” Tommy sits up, scowling. “Hey!”

“This never happened!” Techno sings as he goes out the door, repeating Tommy’s words from earlier. Tommy jumps off the floor, yelling. 

“ _ Hey _ ! You little-”

\---

Niki yawns, pausing in the middle of her sweeping the floor, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s in the middle of tidying up the bakery, counting over supplies, setting up things, the usual. 

After last night, which had been a whole disaster, there’s a gaping hole where Phil’s house used to be, Niki had ran off, quickly getting home, hiding any evidence that she had been shooting arrows off a roof, burying her dirty clothes, washing off the grime and dirt from getting thrown back from the blast. 

She didn’t sleep entirely well either, having jumped into bed like someone was going to burst in, yell that she was caught in the act, and her heart still pounded in her throat as she pulled her blankets over her head, trying to fall asleep. 

Her dreams were riddled with Tommy screaming, arrows narrowly missing her by inches, fire spreading all around-

Waking up had been a pain, to say the least. 

But now here she is, sweeping the floors like she hadn’t technically done treason last night, counting the supplies as if she didn’t fire multiple arrows at the president. She doesn’t have an alibi. She doesn’t have a defense. 

But she doesn’t regret it. And really, maybe no one will come after her for it. She’s always overlooked rather easily. This time it could work in her favor. With the chaos of Technoblade escaping death, and Quackity running off with Tommy, she could just be left alone. Which works for her. She has plans of her own, she needs to speak with Tubbo, needs to find a way of talking with Phil-

“Well.” Someone says, and Niki freezes, her grip on the broom going tight, and she hears the sound of something...clinking? “Good morning to you.”

Niki turns around, smiling politely. Dream smiles back, in the mask that he always has. 

He leans against the doorframe, the doors left open to let the nice breeze of the morning in. Niki tells herself that she wasn’t there last night. She tells herself that she is absolutely innocent. 

“Good morning, Dream.” Niki says brightly, nodding her head. “Came to visit?”

“Something like that.” He answers, crossing his arms. There’s a sword on his hip, and it’s a threat all on its own, even if he doesn’t reach for it. 

“Here to buy something?” Niki asks, continuing her sweeping, pushing dust off the floor. “I was about to make a batch of cupcakes, vanilla, if you like those-”

“Stop it, Niki.” Dream says, and Niki’s heart drops. “You know, why I’m here.” He says it so breezily, as if he’s asked about something much lighter. 

“Why are you here?” Niki asks, still playing dumb until Dream says it outright. Dream doesn’t really have evidence, does he? If Niki just denies it all, will he really be able to-

“Last night, at the execution.” Dream says, Niki raising her chin. “You fought against l’manburg.”

Niki stays quiet, blinking at Dream, continuing her sweeping. “Did I?”

“I saw you.”

“I don’t recall.” 

Dream scoffs, shaking his head. “Right, so if I just search around, I won’t find anything that tells me you were shooting  _ arrows _ at me last night?”

Niki shrugs. “I prefer if you don’t dig through my bakery, Dream. And I was busy cleaning pans last night. I wasn’t doing anything special.” She actually cleaned the pans this morning, early this morning. Sleep left her earlier than usual. 

“You were on the rooftop, with a bow and arrow. You fired down at l’manburg, helped a criminal escape.” Dream says, Niki just humming, still sweeping along. “You betrayed them! You’re a traitor to the-”

Niki raises her eyes, and raises the broom in her hands, pointing the end of the wood in front of her, right at Dream. It’s not a sword, it wouldn’t do anything against a sword, but she holds it like it could cause damage, and her eyes burn. 

“I am not a traitor.”

“I know what I saw.” 

“You must’ve seen it wrong.” 

“You helped Technoblade escape! You went against Tubbo, tried stopping him, tried shooting me-!”

“So what if I did?!” Niki snaps, pointing the wood end of the broom to Dream’s mask. “Maybe take it as a message, I won’t hesitate to shoot at you again!” 

Dream just pauses, leaning back on his heels, quiet, and-

“Niki?” 

Niki shifts her gaze to behind Dream, her chest growing ice cold as she sees Tubbo, standing with wide eyes. 

“I told you.” Dream says quietly. Niki swears internally. “I’m sorry, Tubbo. She’s a traitor.”

“I’m not!” Niki yells, holding the broom close to her, as if it will shield her from Tubbo’s wide eyes. He looks so baffled, almost hurt, and Niki’s heart aches. “Tubbo, listen to me-”

“You, you actually shot arrows at me?” Tubbo asks, Dream nodding. 

“I was never going to actually hit you!” Niki defends, and Tubbo nods, taking those words in. “I just- Yesterday-”

“Yesterday, you fought against l’manburg. You helped Technoblade.” Dream says, voice factual. 

Niki ignores him. She focuses on Tubbo instead, taking a few steps forward. 

“Tubbo, listen. What happened yesterday, with the execution, you can’t do that again! I don’t know everything, I know, and I only saw so much, but it wasn’t right-!”

“It was right!” Tubbo defends, shaking his head. “Technoblade, if we let him be, things would get worse-”

“You heard Tommy scream, didn’t you!? You really think it was worth it-!?” Niki says, Tubbo’s face flashing with pain, and she goes to reach out to him, to step out of the doors, but Dream takes a step forward, and swings, knocking her onto the ground, the broom falling out of her hand with a clatter. 

“Tubbo, for the good of l’manburg, and for your safety, I think we should carry out what I said.” Dream says, and Niki rubs at her face, gasping. 

“Tubbo!” 

“I don’t-” Tubbo stammers, Dream waving a hand. “But, Niki wouldn’t-”

“It’s for your safety.” Dream repeats, and there’s the sound of clinking, and Niki hears the doors shut, and she looks up, runs over to push them open again, not wanting to leave Tubbo outside with Dream-

The doors don’t open, not all the way, only a small gap to show that chains have been put around the handle, keeping her inside. 

“You’ll be on house arrest, until you can be trusted to not bring harm to the president again.” Dream says, Niki slamming at the door. 

“What?!” She pushes at the door, panic crawling up her back. “You can’t do that, you can’t-” She looks to Tubbo, through the window on her door. “Tubbo, you can’t just leave me in here!”

“I-” Tubbo glances to Dream, who takes a few steps back, putting a hand onto Tubbo’s shoulder. “Dream, I’m not so sure about this.” 

“I am.” Dream answers simply, holding up a key. “She shot at you multiple times, yesterday. As well as the other people of l’manburg. Who knows what she’ll do next?”

“But, she’s-”

“She can’t be trusted.” Dream shakes his head, patting at Tubbo’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s talk.” Dream turns around, walking away, down the stairs. 

“Tubbo!” Niki yells, Tubbo watching Dream go, turning to her with wide eyes. He looks so unsure, confused, and hurt, and Niki just wants to explain. “You can’t leave me in here, listen, if you just let me explain-!”

Tubbo shakes his head. “No, no, I’m on your side.” He says, and it calms her heart a little. “I’ll- I’ll try to talk to Dream, or something. I just-” He stops, looking to the floor. 

“Can you let me out? Maybe if you break the lock-”

“No!” Tubbo shakes his head, looking hesitant. “I just- I need to talk with Dream, I’ll-” He shuffles in place, face looking conflicted. “You’ll just have to stay.”

“For how long?!”

“I dunno.” Tubbo shrugs, taking a few steps back. “Just, just stay.” 

He starts to walk off, even with Niki yelling to take the lock off, let her  _ out- _

Niki pushes at the doors again, tears springing up in her eyes, because no, no, she just wanted to help, and now she’s going to end up with the consequences of her stupid actions, and Tubbo is going to have to try and bargin with that green bastard-

There’s movement, someone coming back, and Niki gasps, looking up with a glare, gritting her teeth. But there’s no need to be so hostile, because it’s not Dream, and it’s not Tubbo, either. 

It’s Ranboo, looking with wide eyes, a pickaxe in one hand, and a map in the other, as he carefully makes his way up the stairs, steps silent. 

“Hey.” He whispers, and Niki smiles, nearly crying. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (In case it wasn't clear, Ranboo is there to let her out :P)
> 
> Is now a good time to say that I'm making this story up as I go and I have no clue of what I'm doing? Like, there are vague plot points I wanna hit, but I'm basically just swinging my metaphorical axe and hoping it chops into somethin. I am not the best at writing, I'm gonna remind yall of that, just saying, I write most of these chapters at like 2 am
> 
> Just putting that out there because sometimes I'm worried I'm going to get people going "????? this isn't making sense, why'd you write it like that" and I'll have to go "well ya see, I'm very small, and I have no money, so you can see how this is working out for me-" 
> 
> But yeah! Uh, still thank you for reading, I'm very glad yall like it, it's fun to do :)
> 
> Edit: heyo my readers, I am forcing myself to take a break because burnout is looming over me and I think I should uh take a nap
> 
> I shall be back to updating on the 20th, till then, all my stories are on just a short pause :) much apologies, much love


	17. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at canon* oh no!
> 
> anyway,
> 
> :)

Ranboo looks behind him, face hesitant, and when he turns back to Niki, there’s a quiet warble coming from his throat, shoulders down and slouching. 

“I, uh, I was going to come visit you.” He says quietly, Niki laughing a little, sniffling as she leans against the door. Ranboo takes a few more steps forward, standing just in front of the chains, staring at his feet. “I guess it’s a bit of a bad time?” 

“I’m in a lot of trouble.” Niki says through the window, voice wavering. “I don’t think it’s going to go well.” 

“Ah, well-” Ranboo holds up the pickaxe in his hand. “I heard you guys yelling, and I saw Dream- well, you know.” He pokes at the metal keeping the door shut. “I kinda feel like this is also going to get  _ me _ in trouble.” 

Niki’s eyes glance down to the map in Ranboo’s other hand, and then to behind Ranboo, down the path where Dream and Tubbo have walked off. Part of her wants to ask Ranboo to let her out right now, help make a case, but she stops. Ranboo shouldn’t be dragged into this. He’s under enough stress as it is, with l’manburg being so tense right now. Helping Niki escape right after she’s been locked up for being a traitor, it won’t do him any good. 

“Then don’t do it.” Niki says quietly. “If you help me out, you could get in trouble too.”

“But this is kinda…” Ranboo trails off, making a face. There’s a low garbling noise before he continues. “You shouldn’t just be kept in here. Dream could be planning something, you need to run.”

“Dream is always planning something.” Niki mutters, brushing hair out of her face, sighing. “And I can’t just run. I don’t even know where I would go, I, I’m supposed to stay in l’manburg, it’s home.”

“It’s not really safe here, though.” Ranboo mumbles, the map in his hand crinkling as he holds it to his chest. “I just- I know, I’m supposed to be loyal, to this place, and the people, but I don't, I don’t think it really matters when stuff like this happens. I mean, we’re close? I value you more than a bunch of loyalties.” 

“We  _ are _ close.” Niki nods, chuckling. “But I don’t want you to get in trouble for me, Ranboo. Being safe here is important.” 

“ _ You _ being safe is important.” Ranboo answers stubbornly, Niki laughing under her breath, wiping the back of her hands against her eyes. “And, I don’t think being safe here is much of an option anymore.”

“What do you mean?” 

Ranboo pauses, looking behind him with a wary face. “Dream’s been talking with Tubbo.” 

Niki’s face turns sour, glaring at the wood in front of her. Always meddling, Dream. Always tugging at everyone’s strings. She feels helpless, knowing that whatever Dream is saying to Tubbo right now, she can’t stop it. Dream’s put the label of ‘traitor’ onto her, and even though Tubbo had said he was on her side, he still looked wary. It makes her want to kick the door in frustration. 

“Do you know what he’s been saying to him?” Niki asks. 

Ranboo falters, face scrunching up in thought. “I think he’s just trying to get on Tubbo’s good side. On l’manburg’s good side.”

“Don’t trust him.” Niki warns, voice sharp. “Anything he does, anything he says, you can’t trust him.”

“Oh, believe me, I don’t really like him that much.” Ranboo shrugs, giving an awkward smile. “I mean, he put up the walls, then-” He pokes at the chains again. “Hm.”

Niki can’t help smiling at the hesitant look Ranboo gives, as if asking for the go ahead on snapping the chains so she can leave. But she knows he’ll get caught. 

“Don’t.” Niki shakes her head, Ranboo frowning. “It’s not worth it. Just go.” 

Ranboo hesitates, then nods, slowly, a warble coming from the back of his throat. Then he takes a step back, raises the pick, and slams it against the chains, snapping them off. 

“Whoops.” Ranboo grins, pulling the chains off, pulling the door open. “My hand slipped, sorry.” 

Niki laughs, holding her hands to her face as Ranboo ducks under the doorway to come inside. He holds the map out to her. 

“You gotta leave. As soon as possible.” He says, Niki taking the map and unfolding it, finding a marked destination on the ink. “You’re...with Technoblade, right? I mean, you helped him, last night.” 

“I was just trying to make a difference.” Niki admits, looking up at Ranboo. “I just wanted to  _ do _ something.” Maybe shooting at the president and his cabinet while a criminal was trying to escape his execution wasn’t the best thing to do, but she’ll hold her stance. Technoblade being killed on the stage in front of Tommy, it was a bit too far. A bit too bitter, in her mouth. Brings unwelcome memories of the festival, and Niki wonders if Tubbo realizes it’s a twisted repeat of it, in a way. 

Ranboo points to the mark on the map. “This is where we found Technoblade’s house. It’s probably where Tommy and him are staying, and uh, Phil. Maybe Quackity too? You could go see if he’s there, and alright.” 

“Is this the map you used to track him down?” Niki asks, flipping the paper over in her hands. “Won’t they notice I took it?” 

“We have an extra, maybe no one will notice? I could just say I lost it.” Ranboo shrugs, Niki smiling. “It’s really cold there, so you should probably dress warm.” 

Niki stares at the mark on the map, home of the blade. Would Technoblade even let her stay? What if he just refuses, even if she says she’s the one who helped last night? Where would she go then?

No, she’s going to Technoblade’s place. Ranboo’s risking himself by giving this, the least she can do is follow it, and get to safety, like he wants. 

“Come with me.” Niki says, looking up from the map. “You’ll be found out soon enough, about doing this. You could be marked a traitor by Dream as well, and by then I’ll be too far to come help.” Niki doesn’t want to leave him here, where things are worsening. It’s not too noticeable, but things add up, and the crater where Phil’s house was, the presence of Dream in the town, it spells trouble. It spells the threat of oncoming danger. 

“I want to try having a talk with Tubbo.” Ranboo says, frowning. “I think if I just try and stay by his side, I could…” 

Niki holds a hand to his arm. “But you’ll get caught up in conflict, if things get worse.”

“I think I’m going to get caught up in it anyway, no matter what I do.” 

Niki sighs, folding the map in her hands. She can’t stay, it won’t be good for her, but if she’s leaving Ranboo behind, she wants some sort of assurance that he’ll be okay. 

“Alright.” Niki nods, an idea coming to her head. “But if things get bad, and you’re in danger, I want you to run too. You come to me when you’re no longer safe, okay?” Even if Niki is going to be with Technoblade, she can bet that if Ranboo comes needing help, she will drag that man to let Ranboo in. It’s maybe a stupid move, but even with Techno’s power, it means nothing to her when someone she cares for needs help.

“I’ll try my best.” Ranboo nods. 

“ _ Promise _ .” 

Ranboo’s ears flick for a moment in thought, before he smiles down at her. “I promise. I’ll come running after you if things get bad.” 

Niki sighs, lowering her head, and Ranboo kneels down to the ground for her. She leans down and gives him a hug, Ranboo careful, but giving one back. 

“Please be careful.” Niki whispers, hearing a warble. 

“I’ll be fine. Probably. Maybe.” 

Niki smiles and gives a squeeze before pulling away, then sends Ranboo off, rushing to grab the bare necessities so she can go on her way. 

\---

She stops by one place before she leaves, walking with a rushed pace, a hood over her head as she goes up the pathway leading to a colorful castle. 

It’s still morning, still a bit quiet in the town, and she’s glad for that, no one yet up and about to spot her. 

The wooden doors in front of her are tall, and she raises her hand to knock, before deciding otherwise and just pulling it open, walking inside. 

Niki fiddles with the strap of her bag over her shoulder as she walks through the halls, and she passes an empty throne, instead making her way into the castle, hearing faint voices talk from one of the rooms.

Her heart freezes at knowing there’s someone in the castle, and she steps lightly, but as she gets closer, she recognizes Fundy’s voice, and she decides that she can continue on. 

Coming to a stop at a certain door, she knocks twice before pushing it open, standing at the doorway and seeing Fundy and Eret sitting on the floor. Eret is having his nails painted by Fundy, and Fundy is covered in bandages, looking tired but content. They both raise their heads and go quiet at seeing Niki, and Eret’s face lights up, while Fundy just blinks at her, staring at her clothes. 

“Niki!” Eret grins, Fundy closing the bottle of nail polish he has in his hands. 

“Hi.” Fundy says, with a small smile.

“Eret, could I talk to you?” Niki immediately says as a greeting, and she wishes she could say more, but the more time she spends here, the more of a chance of getting caught by Dream. “Alone?” 

Fundy raises his eyebrows as Niki glances at him, and he quickly turns his head away, ears flattening against his head as he makes a face. Niki looks around the room for a second, seeing chests and a mess of items all over the table in the corner. There’s a bed to the side, sheets wrinkled, and Niki wonders if Fundy went to Eret after the disaster of last night. This isn’t Eret’s room, she knows, and she wonders again on if Fundy has been staying here often.

“Is something wrong?” Eret asks, putting a hand to Fundy’s shoulder before getting to his feet, taking a hesitant step forward. He stares at the hood and bag Niki has, and frowns. 

“I need to talk. Just us, please.” Niki says again, and Eret looks stern, but nods, turning to Fundy. 

“Why don’t you get some rest?” He says quietly, Fundy fiddling with the small bottle in his hand. 

“I, uh, didn’t finish your nails.” Fundy answers quietly.

“That’s alright, you can finish them later. Rest a little, I’ll be right back.” 

Fundy hesitates for a moment, looking at Niki, who looks back with a solemn face. “Where are you going?” He asks, curious. 

“I’m afraid I can’t say. I do need to talk to Eret, though.” Niki stresses. “Please.” 

Fundy stares at her again, like he’s thinking of something else, but instead he nods, getting to his feet to sit on the bed. “M’kay.”

Eret follows Niki as she walks away from the door, and he closes the door behind him as Niki stands in place. 

“What’s wrong? Where are you going?” Eret asks, glancing at Niki's outfit with worry. 

“I’m leaving l’manburg.” Niki answers, and Eret pauses, eyes wide behind his sunglasses. He takes a moment, then nods slowly, glancing to the closed door behind him and grabbing Niki’s arm gently. 

“Uh, walk with me.” He says, the two of them going down the hall, away from Fundy’s room. “Did I hear that alright? Are  _ you _ alright?”

Niki sighs, running a hand across her face. “I assume you heard of the execution attempt yesterday?”

“Yeah, Fundy told me about it. Judging by the crater where Phil’s house used to be, and the way everyone had gotten a bit banged up, I take it didn’t go well.” 

“I watched as Tommy screamed his lungs out for them to let Technoblade go.” Niki delivers, voice strained. “And then watched as Tubbo screamed back, and tried killing Technoblade anyway.”

Eret stops in his tracks, the two of them standing to the side of the hallway as he processes her words. 

“Ah.” Eret only says, holding a hand to his mouth. “Niki, I’m...”

“I then shot arrows down from a roof and helped Technoblade and Tommy escape.” Niki adds, Eret raising his hands, looking like he’s been punched in the gut. 

“You did that?!” Eret asks, glancing down the hall to where Fundy is, looking back to Niki with a shocked face. 

“I just-” Niki goes to explain, but Eret hardly needs it, only puts his hands onto Niki’s shoulders, holding on tightly, voice quiet like anyone might listen in. 

“Has anyone found out? Did you tell anyone other than me?” He asks, voice on the edge of frantic, and Niki swallows down the tight feeling in her throat. 

“Dream saw me last night.” Niki says, Eret wincing. 

“Okay-”

“He came to my bakery this morning with Tubbo, I’ve been labeled a traitor-”

“Fuck-”

“I’m supposed to be under house arrest.” Niki quickly finishes, Eret stammering as he looks like he’s trying to pull together a plan.

“ _ Fuck _ , Niki! Okay, okay. House arrest? You, you can’t  _ be _ here- Okay, we can talk and walk, look, let’s just hurry back, before you get seen-” Eret tries pushing her down the rest of the hall, to where the exit lies.

Niki pushes Eret’s hands away, staying in place. “Ranboo already broke the chains that were on my door, they’ll know I left.” 

Eret pauses, his hands jerking away like he’s been burnt. “Chains.” Eret repeats, and there’s an underlying fire in his tone. 

“I can’t stay. Dream knows I was there last night, and I’ve already been marked as a traitor-”

“Then you can hide out here! I can make a room, I’ll let you stay-” Eret looks around, running a hand through his hair, adjusting his crown. “If we hide you-”

“You’ll get caught!”

“Not if we hide you well enough!” Eret insists, grabbing Niki by the arm again, trying to go down the hall, thinking of maybe making a secret room, in the walls, where no one will suspect. 

“No, Eret-” Niki yanks back, firmly staying in place. 

“How long ago did you leave?” Eret asks, holding onto Niki with a stern grip. 

“I left just now, I came here first, listen, Eret-”

“Then we have time! You can-”

“Eret.” 

“-stay here, I know Dream can try and take away my power, but if I prepare beforehand, I can-”

_ “Eret!” _ Niki snaps, the air going into silence for a moment. “You can’t hide me. I need to go.”

“You don’t have to go.” Eret mumbles, but his face has fallen into something like grief, and Niki knows he’s realized he can’t change her mind. 

“Dream’s already set on using me as some sort of scapegoat. I can’t let him do that.”

“But, I could-”

“I didn’t come here for you to help me.” Niki whispers, grabbing Eret by the hands and holding them tight. “You try anything, you'll be marked a traitor too.”

Eret stays quiet, staring at Niki’s hands for a moment, before speaking again. “So what do we do?” 

“I’m going to leave. I’m leaving to Technoblade’s, I’ll try to find Quackity, try to talk with Phil. I should find something there.” She looks up to Eret’s face, and she hates how worried he looks, his shoulders tight. “I’m just here to ask you a favor, before I go.” 

Eret frowns, but still nods. 

Niki smiles, sighing. “Dream is going to start trouble in l’manburg, I know it. He’s talking with Tubbo.” Eret’s face darkens, and Niki holds a hand to his arm.

“Watch over him and Ranboo while I’m gone. I tried making Ranboo come with me, but he wants to help Tubbo. If Dream’s starting up conflicts again while I’m not here, I won’t be able to do anything.” Before, she might’ve not been able to do anything either way. But now, she will  _ do _ something, One way or another, she’s going to be something. 

“I-I haven’t talked to Tubbo in a little while. I don’t know…”

“Just try-” Niki lowers her head, voice wavering as she squeezes her eyes shut for a second before continuing. “Just, keep an eye on them, okay?”

“Will you be safe?” Eret asks. “Joining Technoblade?”

“I don’t know.” Niki admits. “Just, the others, Fundy, Ranboo, Tubbo- Just...watch over them while I’m gone, okay?”

Eret nods. “If Dream tries anything, I’ll raise hell.”

“I hope for all our sakes he doesn’t try anything.” Niki sighs, taking a step back from Eret, letting go. “But if he does,” 

Eret smiles, and Niki smiles with him. “I’ll have something planned.” Eret promises.

\---

Dream leads Tubbo to a meeting area, a table in the middle where earlier, Tubbo had been talking with his cabinet, and had been discussing plans over l’manburg, over Dream. His mouth feels bitter at knowing it’s all gone to shit. 

It’s quiet, here, and Tubbo wonders where’s Fundy, Ranboo. He wonders about Niki, again, and her words resound in his head. 

“Dream, I think this is too far.” Tubbo admits, crossing his arms as he stares at the table in front of him. Niki wouldn’t go so far as to actually hurt him, would she? She wouldn’t do that for no reason. Maybe she had a point, Tubbo had been in the wrong and she- “I think-”

“Tubbo,” Dream sighs, like Tubbo’s said something stupid. He turns to Tubbo, walking around the table to be in his view. “I told you she was a traitor. She  _ admitted _ to being said traitor, and then we carried out proper measures  _ for _ a traitor.” 

“But locking her up is a bit extreme!” 

“But you don’t know what she’s capable of. She shot at you last night.” Dream reminds, Tubbo frowning. “She could’ve killed you. She could’ve been planning on killing you the whole time, she might’ve been working with Techno, this entire time-”

“She  _ wasn’t _ .” 

“You don’t know that.” Dream scoffs, Tubbo clenching his fists. 

“I know Niki. She wouldn’t kill me, she, she wouldn’t go that far!” 

“Would the Niki you know shoot arrows down at you to help a criminal escape?”

“Maybe, if she had a point!” Tubbo waves his hands, frustrated.

“She didn’t  _ have _ a point-!”

“Maybe she  _ did!  _ Maybe she just wanted to keep me from making an even worse decision, maybe she wanted me to stay away from trying to fight Technoblade, of all people, because she knew I couldn’t win-!” 

“Tubbo.” Dream warns. 

“Maybe it was a bad call! The second he survived, Phil came in and we all fell apart-”

“Tubbo.”

“And Tommy-!”

“TUBBO!” Dream yells, slamming his hands down onto the table, Tubbo snapping his mouth shut. But he still stares at Dream with narrowed eyes, and ignores the way his hands want to shake at the way Dream’s staring right back at him. 

“Maybe we should’ve left Technoblade alone.” Tubbo hisses, through gritted teeth. The sound of Tommy screaming at him, like he was the one getting killed instead, it  _ hurt _ , and Tubbo doesn’t want it, he doesn’t want that in his head anymore. “The execution, killing him like that, it was  _ wrong _ .” 

“The execution  _ went _ wrong.” Dream raises a finger, walking slowly around the table. “You failed to kill Techno, when you had him right where you wanted him, you lost Tommy and Quackity, a member of your own  _ cabinet _ , running away-”

Tubbo turns his head, Dream walking up to his left.

“And now? L’manburg is in high tensions, needing to pick themselves back up, after the shit-show of yesterday. And we even have another traitor in our hands! Maybe even more, hiding.” 

Tubbo sets his jaw, huffing. “It’ll be fixed. I can, I can work with this.”

“Can you?” Dream asks, and he sounds so terribly skeptical, it strikes something in Tubbo’s chest. 

“I’m trying my best! With Technoblade-”

“You could’ve checked his pockets, beforehand. You could’ve dragged Tommy away, so he wouldn’t have distracted you. You could have prepared, made sure that Techno didn’t have any allies.”

Tubbo turns his head to glare at Dream, and is only met with a smiling mask, judgement, knowing. It feels like Dream is staring at all his mistakes, and Tubbo wants to cover them and swear that he can do better, he can be so much better. 

“I’m trying.” Tubbo says, and it comes out quieter than he meant it, comes out more pained than he thought. “I, I really am-” 

“And look where it’s got you.” Dream says, and that’s the tipping point, Tubbo having to focus his gaze onto his shoes, trying to swallow down the tight feeling in his throat, tears pricking at his eyes. He can’t help the feeling of failure that stings him.

Dream sighs, long and tired. Tubbo wishes he was alone, right now. 

There’s a click as Dream reaches up to his head, and Tubbo glances up in shock to see Dream take his mask off, placing it onto the table in front of them. He looks at Tubbo, and Tubbo stares, even though his eyes must be all glassy, he can’t help but stare. 

Dream looks...normal. Tired, if anything. There’s a thin scar across his face, from up to his eyebrow to his upper cheek. Tubbo almost wants to ask about it, but he’s too busy reeling over the fact Dream has just put his mask to the side. 

“I see a lot in you, Tubbo.” Dream says, Tubbo still stuck in silence, staring at Dream. “I’m going to help, alright? You have a lot of potential, in your future.” He holds a hand onto Tubbo’s shoulder, smiling. 

“Help?” Tubbo repeats, blinking. “Wha- Why would- You’ve been against l’manburg from the start.” 

“L’manburg’s changed.” Dream points out, Tubbo biting the inside of his cheek as he feels Dream give his shoulder a squeeze. “And so have I. Tommy, Wilbur, they were my main issues.  _ They _ were the problems.” 

“But…” Tubbo trails off, words failing him. Wilbur had started this land, had started this fight for independence. Independence from the man in front of him. 

“They’re gone now. And now that they are, I know you’ll see that they were in the way, this whole time. They always caused conflict. They never let peace settle.” 

“Peace.” Tubbo says quietly, dropping his eyes to the floor again. He wants that. He wants for l’manburg to be free, to be peaceful. No more fighting, no more hurt. Just, peace. 

“You make a lot of mistakes, Tubbo, as a leader, with your power. But I can help. I know I can help. And when we’re done, things will be better. You’ll be alright.” 

Tubbo sighs, rubbing a hand against his face. Quackity is gone, left with their enemies. Niki is...a threat, or, a friend? Tommy-

Tubbo frowns. Is Tommy going to forgive him, after this? After what he needs to do, soon? 

“Can we bring Tommy back?” Tubbo asks hesitantly, Dream humming. 

“Tommy?” Dream says slowly, like he’s flipping the thought over in his mind. 

“I know, you wanted him exiled, and, he can be quite...difficult. But I, I want him back. Please.”

Dream hums again, and Tubbo can’t bring himself to look at his face, not sure if he can handle anything else that isn’t that smiley mask he knows rather well. The hand on his shoulder grows tight again, and he gets pulled into a hug, arms wrapped around him. 

“Okay. We’ll find a way for you two to be together again, after we’re done, okay?”

“Promise?” Tubbo asks, and he knows it sounds childish, as if he’s asking for a pinky promise, bargaining with Dream. 

“Promise.” Dream repeats, and Tubbo nods, leaning his head into Dream’s chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO I KNOW I SAID ID BE RESTING TILL THE 20TH BUT LIKE,,,,plot
> 
> Anyway YEAHH OTHER CHARACTERS
> 
> We love that??? We love niki. I love niki. I would give her all my money, and i only have like 5 dollars and a paperclip to my name. 
> 
> As for Tubbo! Hoo boy. *looks at plot plans* hooo boy. He'll be f i n e
> 
> Thanks for reading tho!


	18. Wake up call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fucking hell im tired

Quackity wouldn’t describe himself as a totally dead weight sleeper, if anything he feels like he would wake up at a moment’s notice, up on his feet the second he needs to be. He kinda needs to be constantly on guard, with the world they’re in, with the person he is, vice president of the disaster that is l’manburg. 

Although, right now, he’d rather die than wake up, because the ground under him is just so soft, and the place is warm, and calm, light voices are coming from a room nearby, which, usually, would have woken him up and alerted him, but he’s far too content to even care. 

He somewhat recognizes Wilbur’s voice, bright and chipper but ignores it in favor of sighing into the pillow under his head, and appreciating the fact that this has to be the best sleep he’s gotten in  _ months _ . Usually, it takes forever to drift off, his back being sore as hell, his wings-

Quackity pauses in his thought, consciousness seeping into him as he processes where he’s sleeping right now, the fact that he feels actually relaxed, (which is, just, not a thing these days, to be honest-) and the fact that his wings  _ aren’t _ sore.

Wait. 

Wait a minute-

“-BITCH!” Tommy screams from the hallway upstairs, Quackity snapping his eyes open, finding that this is not l’manburg, and this isn’t his bed, and everything pours over him like a bucket of cold water, as he sits up in panic. He pushes himself off the ground, blanket over his shoulders, and he looks down, looks around, finds a makeshift bed by the fireplace, and he’s reminded of last night, of cutting the bandages off his wings, of Phil-

Oh goddammit, where’s his shirt? 

Technoblade laughs as he comes down the stairs, Tommy on his heels, trying to jump onto Techno’s back, only to get swung and then thrown to the floor with a tumble. 

Quackity pulls at the blanket around his shoulders, using it like a cape, hiding into it, and he tries his best to just press the wings behind him against his back as Tommy groans into the floor in pain. 

Tommy raises his head up, making eye contact at Quackity. He frowns, narrowing his eyes like he’s suspicious of something, and for a second Quackity’s head screaming in panic, wondering if Tommy knows, if Phil had just told everyone about the wings on his back while he was passed out on the floor-

“Why are you here?” Tommy just asks instead, not getting up off the floor and only seeming concerned as to why Quackity wasn’t sleeping in the basement. 

“Tommy, Techno-” Both him and Tommy turn their head to Phil coming through the doorway to warn about their sleeping guest, and Phil pauses at seeing Quackity awake, and Tommy on the floor. “Ah.” 

Quackity gives Phil a look that he hopes translates to ‘what the fuck Phil’. Phil seems to get the message, giving a reassuring thumbs up. 

“I thought  _ he’s _ supposed to be in the basement.” Tommy pushes himself up on his knees, pointing a finger at Quackity, Phil sighing. 

“We can’t just stick people in the basement, Toms. It’s cold.” 

“Why  _ not- _ ” Tommy makes a face. 

“Wait, who’s this?” Techno asks, and Quackity squawks in offense, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. Technoblade just stares at him, then raises his head back to Phil. “And where is his shirt.”

“Hey, don’t judge me, man.” Quackity waves off, also silently wondering where his shirt is too, but he’ll own it. 

“Why is there a shirtless stranger in my house, Phil, Phil, there’s a homeless guy in my house-” Technoblade goes on, pointing a hand at Quackity. He  _ knows _ who Quackity is. He’s just being mean.

“ _ Excuse _ me, motherfucker-” Quackity goes to say, Tommy laughing. He has, had, a home. He just can’t exactly return to it right now. 

“This is Quackity,” Phil explains, a bit of sarcasm in his voice, and he has an amused smile as he leans against the doorway. “-he helped us out last night, so the least we can do is give him a place to lay low.” 

“I did not agree to this.” Technoblade points out, Quackity glaring at him from the floor. 

“And where else is he supposed to go?” Phil asks.

“Anywhere other than my house.” 

“Oh, but he did help bring back Carl! And Tommy.” Wilbur chimes in, leaning over Phil’s shoulder, floating off the ground. “Also, I messed with the stove-”

“Fuckin-” Phil rushes back into the kitchen, Quackity smelling slight smoke. Tommy jumps to his feet, running after Phil into the kitchen. 

“Rule number four, Wilbur!” Tommy says, and then screams at the sight of a fire in the kitchen. 

Technoblade stays in place, crossing his arms, looking down at Quackity, who tries to smile back without any internal screaming. It doesn’t work. He feels like he’s going to die, and Tommy swearing loudly in the next room isn’t helping. 

“You’re paying rent.” Techno says easily, then walks off to go into the kitchen, where Wilbur’s insisting he can cook, really-

Quackity quietly regrets his life choices. 

\----

About five minutes later, Quackity is regretting his life choices a little less, having been dragged upstairs, Phil being a rather polite host. 

“You can borrow one of my shirts, I don’t mind.” Phil suggests, pulling a shirt out from his closet, throwing it over to Quackity, who just finished folding the blanket that was over his shoulders and putting it to the side. 

Quackity catches it, nodding. “Thanks, really. For uh,” He pauses, blinking at the cloth in his hands. For giving a place to sleep, for letting his wings breath more than they have in months. For the shirt?

“No, it’s fine.” Phil grins, going over to his desk to look through the drawers. “It’s alright.”

“Do you have bandages I could use?” Quackity asks, Phil going still from where he’s looking around. 

“Are you hurt?” Phil asks, looking up with a slight worried look. 

“No-” Only emotionally, probably, he thinks. 

“Then, in that case, nope, we don’t have any.” Phil shrugs, Quackity staring at him. 

“Uh, no.” Quackity says, holding a hand out, walking over to Phil and poking him in the shoulder. “No, no, I need to rewrap my wings, man.” 

Phil looks at him with a thoughtful look, tilts his head. Then, “Nope.” And he turns back to the desk, opening up a drawer, digging through it. 

Quackity just stares at him, then holds up the shirt. “No? What do you mean- Then how am I supposed to put this on?!”

“There’s holes on the back, mate.” Phil points out, grabbing something from the drawer, closing it and going over to sit the bed, Quackity following him with his eyes. 

“Well, I can’t just do that-”

“Sure you can.” 

“No, Phil,” Quackity lets out a nervous chuckle, bunching the shirt in his hands. “I can’t just walk around with my wings out.” 

“Your wings need to  _ breath _ .” Phil counters, frowning slightly, sitting down. “They need to heal.” 

Quackity just stares at him, trying to think of a way to tell Phil, no, no, he needs to put his wings back into his fucking shirt. Because that’s just what he does, that’s what he always does, and that’s what he’s supposed to do, because if he doesn't-

He gets slapped in the face with the memory of last night, and he notices Phil’s bloodstained clothes are put in a pile to the side, and he remembers that the man sitting in front of him is probably going to disregard every single consequence of the unfair rules of this world. 

And that’s why Quackity even helped them, right? 

Seeing Phil on the stage, fighting with his wings out,  _ flying _ into l’manburg, it gave him a sliver of foolish hope of him maybe having that too, and he squashed down any hope of that on the boat ride here, telling himself that this was an absolute mistake, and that even if Phil had gotten away with breaking the rules, that didn’t mean  _ he _ could do the same. 

Dream isn’t a person you want to piss off. There’s a reason he’s listened to. 

Most of the time, Quackity thinks, looking at Phil, who just smiles. Most of the time, Dream gets listened to. But even with Dream having his puppet strings on everyone, Phil isn’t a force to be reckoned with. 

Quackity questions on what he just exactly joined, but in a more positive light this time. 

He tugs the shirt on with a huff, having to struggle for a moment because he’s never had a shirt that actually lets his wings be out in the open. Before he even got to the world, sure, he used to have his wings out regularly, but when he got here, having them wasn’t much of an option anymore. He gave up on having them, getting swept up in everything else. 

It’s been a while. He didn’t think that he could have that freedom of flying again. 

“Mind if I preen you again?” Phil asks, holding up a small brush, and for a second, Quackity wants to say no, but he knows for a fact his wings are messed up as hell, so he might as well. 

It still takes a while for Quackity to actually be calm when there’s hands in his wings again, but Phil just hums and stays careful. 

“I did brush your feathers last night too, although I hope you don’t mind the fact I did it while you were asleep.” Phil says, Quackity raising his eyebrows. “You passed out.”

Well, that’s just embarrassing. 

But Phil doesn’t seem to mind, and instead fills the room with chatter, starting to talk about how it might be nice to have another person with wings around.

“Yeah.” Quackity agrees, sighing. “It wouldn’t be so bad.”

He thinks he might’ve made a good call, helping out at the execution. 

\---

“-just once, one time-”

“No, read rule four, Wilbur.” Techno insists, Wilbur sulking and laying his face into the table, Tommy snorting over his plate of scrambled eggs. Techno is busy making his own plate, deflecting Wilbur’s pleads to try cooking. 

“You don’t even eat.” Tommy points out, Wilbur sighing dramatically. 

“I don’t! But I can cook!” 

“No, you can’t.” Techno deadpans, Wilbur holding his heart like he’s been struck. Techno’s about to point to the list on the wall again and ignore the way Wilbur is weeping over ‘wanting to just make a  _ lovely _ breakfast for my family’ (and ignore the feelings that come with that), when a knock sounds out at the front door. 

Phil’s upstairs, with Quackity, and all the other inhabitants of the house are right in the kitchen, so Techno puts his plate to the side, walks out, and goes to grab a sword. 

“New guest!” Wilbur chimes, Tommy shushing him. Wilbur shushes him back. Techno just goes straight to opening the door, because it’s far too early to deal with another execution attempt, he just wants breakfast-

“Technoblade.” Niki says, Techno freezing in place, blinking at the last person he expected to see on his doorstep. “Uh, good morning.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyooooo listen up I also edited chapter 15 if you wanna go reread that, I didn't like how it was before, so I tweaked it up a bit
> 
> also this chapter kinda sucks because i'm super tired but that's alright, I'll edit it later, maybe, or maybe not.
> 
> I'm still sorta on break btw
> 
> school, and all that
> 
> thank you for reading


	19. Some sort of forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NIKI CENTRIC CHAPTER LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO

Technoblade blinks, Niki offering a polite smile, her hands grasping at the sling of her bag. She’s shivering from the cold, hood thrown back with snow in her hair, face red from the freezing morning air. 

“Uh.” Technoblade can only say in response, lowering his sword, because he’s not entirely sure what to think of Niki, but he definitely knows she probably wouldn’t kill him. He glances down the steps of the porch, finding only footprints in the snow, but no one at her side. She’s here on her own. 

“I’m here for a place to stay.” She says, voice hesitant, before confidence creeps in, as she says the next sentence. “I’m not exactly safe in l’manburg, after helping you escape your execution yesterday.” 

“So you were the one on the roof?” Techno asks, raising his eyebrows. Niki nods. “Huh.” 

He glances back behind him, where Tommy and Wilbur stay in the kitchen, the two of them under the table, having gone to hide at the last second in case of any hostile visitors. Phil’s still upstairs, with Quackity, and Techno takes a moment to wonder when exactly did his house get so many people.

He blames Tommy.

“I know it’s a bit much to ask for shelter,” Niki starts, Techno turning back to her. “But I don’t have anywhere else to go, and if I stay in l’manburg, I’m afraid Dream’s bound to use me as some sort of scapegoat.” 

“What’s your opinion on Dream?” Techno asks, slowly, considering options. He was planning to only let Quackity stay for as little as possible, until he was good to leave, but now with Niki coming here, it brings a new idea to his head, and he considers the possibilities of allies. “And l’manburg?”

“Dream can’t be trusted.” Niki says quietly, and her next words hold a bit of grief. “And I think l’manburg might be doomed.” 

“Hm.” Techno considers that sentence over in his head, and pulls the door open. “Good enough for me, come in. It’s freezing.” 

Niki actually looks surprised at the easy entry, and she almost stumbles on her feet, smiling. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Techno shrugs, closing the door behind her. “It’s Niki!” He calls out into the kitchen, hearing the shuffle of chairs getting pushed back, Tommy running out into the main room. 

Niki’s face lights up a little, almost relieved, and she goes to greet him as Techno walks across the room to put his sword away. “Tommy-”

“Niki!” Wilbur says happily, pushing himself off Tommy’s shoulders, ignoring the complaint he gets in response. 

“Oy, don’t push me-” Tommy goes to say, but he’s left unheard as Wilbur goes past him. 

“It’s so good to see you, I haven’t seen you in a while!” Wilbur delivers with a smile, and Techno pauses, spinning around to find Niki frozen in place, eyes wide, almost in horror. 

Oh no.

“...wilbur?” Niki asks, voice small, and Tommy looks like a bucket of cold water has been splashed over his shoulders, eyes flicking to Technoblade in a panic. 

Niki didn’t know, Techno realizes, and oh, that’s going to make the morning so much harder, because she didn’t _know-?_

“Hello!” Wilbur greets, hugging Niki with a smile, and she returns it numbly, shivering again, and she’s not sure if it’s from the cold outside or from the way Wilbur looks so _pale_ , color gone from his clothes, his face. He’s too cold as he hugs Niki tight, and Niki holds a hand up to his neck, Wilbur not seeming to notice as she desperately tries to find a pulse. Her hands tremble, and it’s not from the cold outside. 

“Techno.” Tommy hisses out, looking at Techno with eyes that scream ‘what do we do’ and Techno can only give a shrug, feeling the same panic Tommy holds. 

Wilbur pulls back from the hug, Niki glancing down, finding that his feet aren’t even on the floor, and he floats just over the ground, legs pulled up as he places his hands onto her shoulders. He turns his head to Techno. “Oh, Technoblade, can she stay-?”

He pauses at the look on Tommy and Technoblade’s faces, and he frowns, feeling like the mood in the room is in need of a bit of blue.

“Wilbur.” Niki repeats, voice just above a whisper, and when he looks down to her with pale eyes, she can’t stop the way hers start to blur with tears. “Wilbur, Wilbur, what happened-?”

“Niki?” Wilbur asks, Niki’s shoulders shaking as she reaches up to him, hands grabbing onto his shirt, which has been sapped of color, due to his state. “You’re crying-”

“What happened to you!?” Niki sobs.

“I died!” Wilbur chimes, smiling. “I’m a ghost now. Sorta.” 

“But- I thought-” Niki stammers, shaking her head, eyes not leaving Wilbur’s, and Tommy takes a few steps back, looking more quiet than usual, because he’s not sure how to deal with this, neither does Techno, because they thought she _knew-_ “How did you-?”

Techno takes a step forward, holding a hand out. “Ah, Wilbur-”

“Phil stabbed me.” Wilbur nods, something shifting in Niki’s face as Techno winces. He’s going to need to do some damage control after this. He’s glad that for the moment, Phil’s occupied with Quackity upstairs. “Through the heart to be exact! Then I died.”

“Phil…?” Niki trails off, blinking tears out of her eyes, ignoring the ones that run down her face. “I thought, I thought after l’manburg blew up, you had left…”

“No, I was dead.” Wilbur corrects, tapping a finger onto Niki’s nose. “But it’s okay, I’m here now! Are you staying with us? We have Phil living here too, and Quackity-”

“Quackity’s-?” Niki blinks, shaking her head, trying to make sense of the information given to her. Her voice steadies, and she looks at Wilbur again. “Where’s Phil?” She asks, and several alarms go off in Technoblades head.

“Uh, hey, hey, Wilbur, let’s go check on Carl, yeah?” Tommy says, walking forward and grabbing Wilbur by the arm, as Niki wipes at her eyes, face unreadable as she stares at the ground. 

Wilbur turns his head to Tommy, slightly confused. “Carl?”

“I’m sure Niki’s tired, from, uh, from the snow! So, Techno cannn, uh, give her soup or something, while we go check on Carl.” Tommy gets out, tugging at Wilbur, making a step towards the front door. 

Wilbur pauses, then gasps, nodding. “You’re right! Niki, are you tired?” 

Niki looks at him with a sad look, and it hardens into something else, and she shrugs. “A little.”

“Then Techno can help! He can cook, although I can’t-”

“Rule number four-” Tommy mutters out under his breath, opening the door, trying to tug Wilbur outside with him. 

“So then you should eat something, and also get warm- Oh, I should give you some blue, too-” Wilbur goes to move towards the kitchen, Tommy grabbing him from behind and yanking him out through the doorway. 

“Okay, bye!” He says quickly, and the door slams shut. 

Niki stares at the closed door, and Techno tries to think of what to do next, tries to think of what to say. The silence is almost suffocating, and Niki’s holding onto the strap of her bag so tightly that her knuckles have paled. 

“Technoblade.” Niki says quietly, and it’s strained, almost angry, and Techno holds his breath. “Where’s Phil?”

“Ehhh, let’s go eat.” Techno suggests, and walks into the kitchen, Niki following a moment later. She doesn’t go to sit down, instead standing beside the table as Techno busies himself with making a plate of food, back turned to her. 

“Techno.” Niki repeats.

“Yeah?” Techno turns to her, trying to keep a casual tone, but it’s lost in the way Niki looks at him, and he sighs. “Okay, listen-”

“Phil _killed_ him?” Niki says, and Techno abandons the idea of food, leaning back on the counter. 

“You don’t have the whole story.” Technoblade tries to defend, and he understands that look in her eyes, she’s perfectly in the right for being angry, but he would like to keep Phil from getting stabbed today, so he _needs_ to get it through her head that Phil-

“Wilbur’s _dead_.” Niki whispers, and her voice wavers again, as she takes a small gasp in. “I thought he was in hiding, I thought he left!”   
  


Technoblade shakes his head. 

“He’s been dead since _when_?”

“The explosion. He died not long after the button was pushed.” 

“Phil killed him?” 

“Niki-”

“He _killed_ him?” She stresses, and Technoblade forces a nod. A laugh bubbles out of her, and she puts her hands to her face, wiping off more tears. “He- oh my god.”

“We’re trying to bring him back-”

“That doesn’t change the fact he’s still here! Phil lives here? With Wilbur?!” 

“We’re all staying here, and Phil’s been helping out-”

“He shouldn’t be here at all! He shouldn’t be _near_ him at all!” 

Techno frowns, taking a deep breath in. “Phil’s set on bringing him back. He regrets-”

“Oh, so he regrets it. So that makes it okay?” Niki asks, anger rising up in her, something sharp and cold. It feels like something’s snapped inside her, because Wilbur’s dead, Wilbur’s _dead,_ and her situation was bad enough, having to leave l’manburg, having to leave people she loves behind, but now this? 

“Of course it’s not _okay_.” Techno waves a hand, scoffing. “Nothing about this is okay. I know you’re angry-”

“I am not _just_ angry.” Niki grits out, Techno huffing. “You’re telling me Phil killed Wilbur, and now he’s living in a house with his spirit, like everything is _fine_?”

“What else are we supposed to do?” 

“Keep Phil away!” Niki yells. “How could you just let him near Wilbur again, after he did that?! How could you-”

“Niki?” 

Techno freezes, feeling a cold panic in his chest, and both him and Niki turn their heads to Phil, who stands at the doorway with a worried face, looking hesitant. 

Niki stares at Phil, takes in the way he looks back to Niki with worry in his eyes, and how he flicks his gaze to Techno for a second, before going back to Niki. 

Niki thinks about the starting days of l’manburg, the days of where Will hadn’t been lost to his own mind, had been determined and sure, had been the face of a new revolution, had been someone to look up to. 

Had been someone who was _alive_ , and vibrant, and-

“ _You._ ” Niki hisses out, and Phil’s face drops, as he takes a step back. “You _killed_ Wilbur.” 

The words hit him like a knife, and Niki’s almost surprised to see Phil physically recoil, taking a step back. His face has gone from worried to almost broken with just those words, and a bit of the anger in her fades out, but it still mostly stays, and she can’t stop the way she continues. 

“You fucking-”

“Niki, stop it.” Technoblade warns, but she doesn’t, taking steps forward as Phil stumbles back into the main room. 

“You fucking killed him!” Niki yells, and Phil looks to the side, hands raising up to his face, his wings shifting behind him. “How could you, why would you ever do that?!” Her voice wavers dangerously as she yells, and she ignores the way tears are pricking at the edge of her eyes again. 

“I-I didn’t-” Phil tries to start, mouth opening and closing as his words seem to be ripped from him, and he can’t look up from the floor. 

Niki laughs bitterly. “Yes, you did, don’t you even try to deny it! I saw him, I saw how he is, he’s dead because of you-!”

“I know, he’s not- Niki-” Phil flicks his eyes up, before returning them to the ground, his hands tugging at his own hair. “Let me explain-”

Techno grabs Niki by the arm, yanking her back. “Calm down.” He warns, trying to lessen the way Niki’s words have gone harsh. 

“Do _not_ tell me to calm down.” Niki says sharply, turning to Techno with fire in her eyes, and Techno actually takes a step back. She turns back to Phil. “Did you have a choice? Could you have done something different?!”

“Niki, please-” Phil pleads, looking up and blinking rapidly, a dazed look in his eyes. 

“Tell me!” Niki persists, Phil flinching. 

“ _Yes_.” He answers, closing his eyes and running his hands through his hair, ignoring the way his hat has fallen to the ground, and the way he’s tugging at his hair almost painfully. 

“THEN WHY DID YOU STILL KILL HIM!?” 

The room seems to still as she yells, and Technoblade grabs her by the arm again, this time nearly bruising. “ _Stop_.” He says, and the tone hides a threat, Niki’s words dying in her throat, and at the sight of Phil, her anger dies too. 

Phil looks terrified, eyes wide and on the floor, and his hands are curled into tight fists in his hair, tears at the edge of his eyes. His wings are tucked in tightly behind him, like he’s trying to hide them away as he leans forward, gasping for air as he drops to the floor.

“Phil.” Techno says, his voice careful and worried. “Phil, Phil, breath.” Niki can only stare in some sort of mix of horror and pity as Phil shakes his head, looking wracked with grief. 

“I’m not- I’m so sorry-” Phil gets out, and Techno goes to walk past Niki, but Phil’s already on his feet, swinging the front door open, running out onto the porch and flying out into the cold air. 

“Phil!” Technoblade yells, running after him, but he can’t follow Phil into the air, and he can only watch as Phil flies to the forest, disappearing in the trees. 

Niki holds a hand to her heart, swallowing down regret from her words, and trying to wipe at her eyes again, trying to stop the way she wants to sob. She stares into Techno’s back, watches as he looks off the porch to where Phil’s flown off, his shoulders tense. 

“Tech-Technoblade, I’m-” Niki starts, voice hesitant, and when Techno turns to her, she gives up on saying anything. 

“I _understand_ that you're angry.” Techno says quietly, steps sounding out as he makes his way back inside, not bothering to close the door behind him as Niki stumbles back. “I _get_ it. I was angry too, I wanted to kill Phil just like he did to Wilbur when I found out what happened.” 

Niki can’t look away from the way Techno’s eyes burn, and if she didn’t know any better, she would say that he looked near tears. 

“But you do _not_ know the whole picture. You didn’t hear the way Phil screamed when he realized what he did.” 

She feels like she doesn’t need to hear it to know. From the way Phil looked just now, she can only wonder how much regret and grief Phil holds, and her own regret runs down her back. 

“I’m sorry.” She says quietly, lowering her eyes. 

“Don’t be. Like I said, I get it. But if you’re going to be staying here, then _don’t_ do that again.” Techno says, and his words hold a silent threat. Niki nods. “I’m not asking you to forgive him. That’s a bit much. But at the very least, find a way to not take out your anger on him.” 

Niki nods again, the lack of anger in her leaving an empty gap, and there’s a small sense of determination that creeps up. 

“Now get out. Either go find him, or go talk with Wilbur outside.” Techno says, and he goes to walk into the kitchen, cutting the conversation there. Niki stands still as Technoblade moves plates in the kitchen, and she raises her eyes to the door left wide open. 

She feels the determination in her chest grow, and she runs, going out the door, hearing the sound of Wilbur chatting happily at the side of the house. She ignores the ache in her heart, and instead goes for the trees. 

\---

Being back in the cold isn’t enjoyable, and the trip over here had been terrible on it’s own, even with the layers Niki has on. The cold had still gone through her, chilling her to the bone, and it does the same now, as she runs past the tree line into the forest, panting for air as she kicks up snow. 

She can’t help but think of Wilbur as she runs, and she wonders if he’s happier like this, a shell of his former self. He had seemed happy, when he said hello, but he also didn’t seem all there. It was her Wilbur, it was, but not entirely. Some parts were missing, but she hadn’t noticed it then, being too overwhelmed with shock. 

If Wilbur’s been living here, with Phil and the others, then she wonders then how the hell Phli manages it. He has to feel guilt each time he sees Wilbur’s face, has to be in pain each time he talks to him, because he caused that, and Niki’s not sure how to even feel about that fate. It sounds like torture, having to face Wilbur over and over, and knowing that you did that, he’s like that because of your hands. 

There’s a sense of pity that strikes through her, and it makes her even more determined to find Phil, to let him explain, because it’s not just him who needs it, she needs an explanation too, or at least an assurance that he’s actually sorry. 

She stops in the tracks, leaning onto her knees and gasping for air, staring at the snow under her as she tries to quiet her mind. She needs to find Phil, but luck needs to be on her side for that, because Phil could've flown anywhere, and she doesn’t know this forest at all. 

But he couldn’t have gone far, with the way he looked, and Niki nods to herself, looking around and breaking into a sprint again, scanning the trees for a hint of blue, any sign of someone other than her. 

Just as she’s about to turn around and try circling around, she spots a glimpse of something far off on the ground, and she runs towards it, weaving through the trees. 

Slowing down before she gets too close, she slows her steps and tries to be silent, sneaking up and seeing if it really is Phil, and also considering if she should actually approach. 

Although, as soon as she sees the sight before her, she throws her hesitation out the window and runs forward. 

Phil’s knelt down on the ground, not seeming to notice the way the snow soaked into his clothes, and instead holding his head in his hands, leaning over and crying. There’s feathers scattered across the snow around him, and as he takes in a shaky gasp, Niki’s hit with the terrible thought of Phil possibly yanking his _own_ feathers out. 

She falls to the ground beside him, hands reaching out, and Phil looks up with wide eyes, scooting back. 

“Niki-!” Phil chokes out, rubbing his hands across his face, trying to sit up straight as Niki tries to grab onto his hands so he won’t end up flying away again. 

“Phil, Phil, listen to me-” Niki says sternly, holding onto Phil’s hands, tugging him forward as he cries.

“I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, Niki-” Phil sobs, looking so incredibly different from how Niki’s ever known him. Niki’s never seen him so devastated. She’s not sure if anyone ever has. 

“Phil, shut up.” Niki says, Phil closing his mouth with a grimace, his wings folding tightly closed behind him as he seems to shrink in on himself. “Breathe with me, come on.” 

“Niki, listen, with Wilbur-” Phil tries to say, tears falling into the snow. 

“Just-” Niki squeezes his hands so tightly it must hurt, and she closes her eyes tight to try and stave off the way she wants to sob with Phil. “Just _breathe_ with me. Just breathe.” 

She takes a deep breath in, letting it out in a sigh, repeating it until Phil copies her, shaky and in tears, but breathing. She ignores her own tears streaming down her face, and just holds onto Phil’s hands tightly. 

They sit there in silence for what feels like forever, and when Niki opens her eyes, Phil looks only a little bitter, if anything, calmer, but he still stares into the snow with tears streaming down his face. 

“Phil.” Niki says quietly, watching as his wings shift behind him, laying on the snow. “I-”

What does she say? Why did you kill him? She doubts Phil even knows the answer himself, from the look in his eyes. She knows he regrets it. She knows he must hurt. Part of her wants to slap Phil across the face and scream, yell as to why he dared to take Wilbur away in such a way. Part of her wants to grab Phil by the shirt and demand for him to bring Wilbur back at any cost. 

“Niki, I’m…” Phil trails off, voice strained. “I’m sorry.” He whispers out, and Niki’s shoulders shake as she silently sobs, closing her eyes again.

“I know.” She says back, and she lets go of Phil’s hands and pulls him into a hug instead, Phil incredibly still in her arms. 

“Niki, wha-” Phil stammers out, Niki just holding onto him as tight as possible. “Niki-”

“Just, please bring him back.” Niki asks, Phil going quiet again. “I know you regret it. I know you must wish you never did it at all.”

Phil takes a shaky breath in over her shoulder, gritting his teeth. 

“Please just bring him back.” 

“I will, I promise.” Phil says, Niki not doubting it for a second. “I’m sorry. I’m, I’m so sorry.” 

Niki gives a smile over Phil’s shoulder, and there’s a sense of relief in her heart at knowing that Wilbur will be back, eventually. She still wants to scream at Phil, still wants find a way to bury him into the snow, but the way that he apologizes over and over, it simmers down her anger into something that’s barely there. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry-” Phil repeats, and she doesn’t know if he’s saying it to her or Wilbur. She holds onto Phil so tightly that she might strangle him if she held any tighter, and Phil’s words blur into a mumbling, turning into quiet sobs instead. 

She’s not sure how long they sit there, Phil crying over her shoulder as Niki considers something along the lines of forgiveness. Not entirely, she’s not sure if she can forgive Phil for doing that to Will, but she’s not sure if she can pin the blame onto Phil either, because even with Wilbur’s death, she wonders if she lost Wilbur before he even pressed that button. 

Eventually, Niki’s already wiped the tears off her face, and Phil’s sobs quiet down into nothing, until he’s just hesitantly starting to lean back, away from Niki. Niki drags him down back into a hug. 

“Uh-” Phil’s wings open out a bit, the tips dragging across the snow as he shifts them. “Niki.” 

Niki just sighs. “It’s only morning and this day has been so _long._ ” 

Phil laughs. “It has, hasn’t it?”

She hums, eyes glancing to the feathers scattered across the snow, here and there. “When Wilbur...pressed the button…” 

Phil waits, Niki trying to find her words. 

“What happened?”

There’s a moment of hesitation, before Phil says anything. “He thought he didn’t have l’manburg. He said that it wasn’t the special place he had hoped for, that it wasn’t there.” 

Niki’s heart hurts as she wonders how she could have been celebrating in the middle of that, could have been happily smiling as Phil bargained with Wilbur to not press the button. She remembers taking down the decorations for the festival, remembers finding the tnt still there. 

She thought that maybe it would be taken out soon enough. She had covered it back up and told herself that just because it was still hidden under the ground didn’t mean they didn’t win. It was just a remainder of their struggle before. 

God, she was so wrong. 

“Then he said it was just never meant to be, and blew it all up.” Phil continues bitterly, voice wavering. “Then he told me to kill him.” 

Phil tries to sit back up, Niki not letting him, still holding on with a tight grip. He hugs her back. 

“I-I don’t know why I did, I should’ve waited, should have took him and ran, I don’t-”

“It’s okay.” Niki mumbles. 

“It’s _not_.” Phil stresses, Niki grimacing. “I’m sorry.” 

Niki’s not sure if she should even accept his apology. Not entirely sure if she should trust his word. But she’s going to need someone to fight beside, if she wants to save the other ones she loves before it’s too late too. So she shoves down her hesitation and just nods. 

“Bring him back.” 

“I will.” Phil promises. “I will, we’re, we’re collecting totems. We have a plan.” 

“I can help.” Niki says, Phil just nodding. “It’ll work out.” It has to. 

They stay in silence for a moment longer, and Niki sighs, looking up into the trees, feeling absolutely exhausted, but still making plans in her head. She couldn’t save Wilbur. 

But as for the rest of l’manburg. 

“I came over here to Technoblade’s for some help.” Niki says quietly. 

“I was wondering why you were here of all places.” 

“Dream is trying something with l’manburg.” Niki says, Phil freezing. “I had helped last night with you guys escaping, and Dream found me out. He marked me a traitor. I had to leave.” 

“Thank you for that.” Phil says lightly, patting at her back. Niki smiles. “You’re a good shot.”

“Thank you. But also, do you have any plans for Dream, as well?” 

Phil pulls back, and Niki lets go of him, watching as his wings open up and curl around them both, somewhat blocking off the cold that’s already seeped into her bones. 

Phil smiles, and it holds threat and power. “We do, actually. Do you want to help?”

“Yes.” Niki answers, without hesitation. Phil grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *claps hands together* time to brainrot over my fic title!
> 
> The title “I’m not angry at you, well, sometimes I am” becomes super relevant in a lot of instances! Like one obvious one, right here, with Niki being angry with Phil with his actions, but sorta moving on because while she’s angry, she knows Phil is going to do his best to bring Wilbur back and be better, and she knows she can't dwell on it because there are more things to take care of at the moment 
> 
> But it’s also relevant for Tommy and Technoblade, because at the start of the fic, Tommy was stubborn as fuck, and saw Techno as a traitor, didn’t want to be anywhere near him! Now he’s more or less content with staying with him, and more or less considering the anarchy options that Technoblade holds. He’s still a little shit sometimes tho
> 
> It’s also going to come into play with Tubbo and Dream, where Dream is bound to find a way to try and make Tubbo sorta trust him, but Tubbo still knows who Dream is, and will still be on the defensive, even with the way Dream tries to look kind. 
> 
> The point here is that my title got MEANING, because I gave it some, and that's neat
> 
> but yeah! I tried super hard with this chapter! It's 3 am! I have school in like 5 hours! Thank you for reading!


	20. Snowfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY HEY
> 
> this is a rewritten chap, just a heads up!!! The last version was NOT vibing (I made it while I was Sad, so the quality? Not as good as it could have been!)
> 
> I polished this one up so now it's even better (with even more at the end now :) ) and I hope you enjoy it!!
> 
> I'm happy with it :D

With Niki’s answer, it’s like they’ve reached solid ground, the tension around them seeming to die off, instead getting replaced with the cold chill of the forest. Niki feels exhaustion creep into her, and she wants to curl up on the ground and fall asleep, emotionally and physically done from this whole morning. 

“What are you planning?” Niki asks, rubbing her hands together to try and warm them, watching Phil rub at his face to get the last remains of tears off, trying to rub off that blotchy look in his eyes. “For Dream?”

“Short term goal, make it so he stops fucking around with us.” Phil mutters, looking up at the sky, taking in a deep breath, and letting it out, his sigh visible in the cold air. 

Niki shifts from where she’s sitting, her legs uncomfortably cold in the snow, probably frozen numb at this point. “Long term goal?” She asks, leaning against Phil’s shoulder as she tries to move her legs out from under her so they can stretch out and get back some feeling. Phil’s wing stays wrapped around her, and it does almost nothing for the cold, but she appreciates it anyway. 

“Long term goal…hm. To be honest, I still have to iron out details with Technoblade.” Phil shrugs, leaning into her for a moment, looking up at the trees. “Claim land, mark territory, gain allies, all of that. But then again, we’re not making another empire. It’s more of destroying one, really.”

“Destroying one?” Niki repeats, raising her eyebrows. Her mind jumps to l’manburg first. “L’manburg isn’t an empire.” 

“It’s a part of one. Sorta.” Phil shrugs again, fiddling with the ends of his feathers, tilting his head to the side. “And that’s another target. I’m talking about Dream’s empire. Everything he owns, here.”

For a moment, Niki’s reminded of how much Dream is capable of, how he’s played a role in everything. The starting days of l’manburg, the explosion of l’manburg, there’s a slight bit of fear that creeps up at the idea of how much Dream’s meddled with, and how much he will continue to do so. 

There’s also a part of her that wants to dropkick Dream into the ground for being like that, for meddling and hurting so much, and for what? To stay on top? To be the strongest, for control? 

She tucks away that anger into a tiny internal box for later, and instead just slowly nods to Phil’s words. 

“You want to kill him?” Niki asks, almost too casual, like she’s offering to hang out on a weekend. Phil grins.

“I’ve done it once, I’ll do it again.” 

Niki blinks, processing those words, and then she chokes on air, coughing. Phil pats her on the back comfortingly. It does nothing for the way her heart rate has picked up. She can’t tell if she’s intimidated by the man beside her now or in awe. “You’ve  _ what _ ?!”

“Last night?” Phil continues, tilting his head the slightest bit to the side, Niki staring with wide eyes at him. “I chopped his head off with my axe. It made one hell of a stain on my clothes, you wouldn’t believe-”

“You chopped his-” Niki sputters, holding her hands to her face, noting how freezing they are against her cheeks. A laugh bubbles out past her lips as she holds a palm to her forehead. ”You really- Just like that-?!”

Phil bursts out laughing, Niki laughing with him, but it’s more in shock than anything, because you can’t just  _ do _ that. He talks like it's a funny joke, killing someone whose power is equivalent to a god, and she’s reminded that Phil is just the same. 

There’s a glint in his eyes that shows more, showing quiet anger laced in his tone, but it’s hardly noticeable in how nonchalant he is about it all, seeming just amused over the fact he’s killed Dream.

“Surely you’re not going to get away with that?” Niki asks, voice high in worry. Phil almost starts to laugh harder, struggling with his words to answer through his wheezing. “He’s going to come after you!”

“He’s going to try killing me anyway, I mean-” He laughs, before starting again. “We’re planning on getting rid of him entirely, he’s probably going to try getting rid of me first so we won’t try anything.”

“So then, you should-!” Niki tries to think of a way to warn him, to tell him of how he needs to be more careful, but Phil looks at her with a bright, amused look in his eyes, and she feels like that sort of warning would be lost on him. “Oh, you’re insane.” Phil laughs again. 

He’s got to be crazy, at least partially, with how little fear he holds against the idea of Dream retaliating against him. Niki realizes that now she’s a part of this insane plan, and she’s both scared and thrilled at the concept. Scared of rebellion in such an obvious way, thrilled at the fact that said rebellion might actually work, with Technoblade and Phil being as they are. 

“Maybe. Don’t worry about it, mate.” Phil shrugs a shoulder, waving a hand as he catches his breath from laughing. “I’ve seen people like him before. They always fall one way or another.”

He says it like it’s set in stone, Dream’s downfall, and all she can do is nod at that tone, like Phil knows much more than she could ever wish to know. 

“Right.” Niki whispers, holding her hands to her chest.

Just this morning, Dream locked her into her bakery, held her hostage, and placed a label of traitor onto her. She had been scared, completely at Dream’s mercy, and she’s not sure what would have happened if Ranboo hadn’t come along.

And it’s always been so easy for him, hasn’t it? Dream has always had that power to dig his claws into someone. 

But now the idea of Dream hurting her at all is such a far off concept. Now, as she sits at Phil’s side, it suddenly feels like it won’t be that easy for him anymore. Like she finally holds a proper shield. 

“Surely it wasn’t that easy.” Niki says softly, staring into the snow for a moment. Phil hums. “You and Techno, you both got away because of the explosion, I saw it blow up into flames, and you’re here now. But you guys must’ve been a little banged up after, right?”

“We were.” Phil answers, eyes staring off in thought. “That’s how Dream found us, limping away from the chaos. Techno’s leg was all fucked up.” 

“You shouldn’t have been able to fight him, then.” Niki says, raising her head up. “How did you-?” 

Her words die in her throat as Phil blinks at her, and she can’t place the expression he holds. 

“Well, I probably shouldn’t have.” Phil huffs, amused. “But he was cocky. He told me it was either he kills Technoblade, or he cuts off my wings. He expected me to listen and hand over the axe for my own pain.” 

Niki’s eyes glance to the wings behind her, and her eyes trail off into the snow, where feathers still lay scattered around. “You chose neither.”

“I chose to not give a shit, and I stuck a blade through his neck and through his fucking ego-.”

“Phil!” Niki snorts. “God, you really just-” She sighs, hitting her hands to her face. 

“It’s not that hard! You just-” He makes a gesture, a cutting noise coming from his mouth as Niki laughs again. “He really is killable as long as you get close enough. People die, mate. He’s not exempt from that rule.”

“It’s not that easy, he’s-!” Niki stammers, cutting herself off, waving her hands around uselessly. “Dream.”

“I know.” Phil shrugs, getting to his feet. “It’s not that easy yet, you’ll get it.” He encourages, raising a hand out to help Niki up. Niki stares up at him, almost dumbfounded with his words, like he’s sure that Niki will one day murder Dream as well. “Until then? You can stay with us. Help out around here, help with our plans to make something new.” 

“I thought we weren’t creating a new empire.” Niki jokes, Phil scoffing. 

“We’re not…” Phil trails off, a smile tugging at his lips, Niki snorting. “We’ll see. Come on. It’s cold out here, even for me, and you’re not even bundled up that well.”

“I can’t feel my hands.” Niki mutters as she takes Phil’s hand, getting lifted up. 

“Yeah, that’s probably not good, mate.” Phil holds onto her hands, squeezing them for a moment. “Come on. I can fly us back, although you’ll need to hold on.”

Niki doesn’t answer, watching Phil’s wings behind him open up just a bit, like he’s about to take off, and her eyes drop to the snow below them. The image of feathers just scattered around in the cold, some even bent as they lay there on the ground, it just doesn’t sit right with her. 

“There’s feathers on the ground.” She says, quietly, and Phil goes still, just barely, letting go of her hands.

She huffs, wrapping her arms around herself, blinking down at the snow. “Your feathers, might I add?”  _ I’m worried _ , she doesn’t say, but it translates through pretty well. 

Phil makes a face, his wings folding tightly closed behind him as he takes a few steps away, Niki staring into the back of his head. “Bad habit.” He mumbles, and there’s a pang of guilt that rips into her. “But not an often one, it’s just...stress, mate.”

“Seems painful.” Niki says carefully, Phil turning back to her. 

“Not as painful as here.” He responds, tapping at his chest. Niki feels like crying again. 

“Phil.” Niki says, voice wavering. “About Wilbur…”

“It’s alright.”

“No, I just-” She runs a hand through her hair, looking down at her shoes.“I’m still  _ angry _ at you, and everything,” She chokes out, huffing. “-but I know how much you meant to Wilbur as well.”

Phil blinks at her, face blank. “Did he…did he mention me?” 

“He sometimes talked about you.” Niki shrugs, starting into a walk, bumping her shoulder into his. They both slowly move through the trees. “In Pogtopia, in those days. Sometimes he missed you, rambled on about...things.”

_ ‘I wonder if he’s proud of me.’ _ She remembers him whispering, eyes crazed with something broken. _ ‘I wonder if he would be proud.’ _

She remembers Wilbur always telling of how Phil was such a good person, the best he’s ever known. How Phil was everything, at one point. 

Phil hums, smiling towards the ground. 

“I know that you were-  _ are _ , his dad, and considering that-”

Phil stops in his tracks, brushing at his eyes. “Dammit, Niki, I  _ just _ stopped crying-” He chokes out, voice broken.

“I’m just saying what I’m thinking!” Niki sniffs, Phil wiping at his eyes. “What do I remember? You mean a lot to him, Phil. And I know he means a lot to you.”

“He does.” Phil promises, voice in a whisper. “I love him.”

“I know. I do too.” Niki nods, agreeing, and Phil groans, wiping at his eyes again. Niki just grins in response, the two of them continuing to walk. 

\---

Meanwhile, back at the house, chaos erupts as Quackity makes the decision to finally creep out from upstairs, because after hearing yelling, crying, and seeing Phil fly off into the distance, staying holed up away from the conflict sounds like the perfect idea when you’re basically at your most vulnerable. 

And that’s how Quackity feels right now, too open, too easy to hurt. He’s slightly grateful for having his wings out in general, not having to deal with pain slowly growing over the course of the day, it’s great, but still. 

He’s not used to having them out. 

Especially when they look so torn. He knows he doesn’t take care of them, hasn’t taken care of them for a while, and maybe if he washed them properly and let them heal, they would return to that pretty pale yellow he remembers having so long ago. 

He wants to put them back. Wants to pull on his shirt and not have them showing, like a target on his back, a perfect place for anyone to grab and twist, and  _ fuck- _ He’s not remembering that.

He doesn’t want to remember that. 

Dream’s given his warnings, before. It’s either this or he loses his wings entirely, and having them out feels like he’s doing something wrong, about to get caught at any moment. 

He almost considers staying upstairs until someone comes to find him, but he’s  _ not _ scared, so he squares his shoulders and ignores how tucked in his wings are on his back, and goes downstairs, greeted immediately with the front door opening, the sound of Tommy and Wilbur chatting as they come in. 

Quackity is halfway down when Wilbur looks to him, glances to behind him, and Quackity freezes. 

Then shrieks as Wilbur seems to throw himself over the railing, tackling Quackity before he can run back up the stairs. 

“HE’S A CHICKEN?!” Tommy screams.

“I’m  _ NOT _ a fucking chicken-!” Quackity yells back, trying to run back up to the sanctuary of Phil’s room, but Wilbur just wraps his arms around his waist and  _ heaves _ , surprisingly strong for someone who’s dead. They both go tumbling down the rest of the stairs. 

“You have wings! Tommy, look, he has  _ wings- _ !” Wilbur cheers, recovering a lot faster than Quackity, jumping up off the floor and hovering over him as he groans painfully into the floor.

“Yeah, I can fucking see that-” Tommy laughs, crouching down to Quackity’s level as Technoblade pokes his head out from the kitchen.

“Who fell?” He asks. 

“Quackity!” Tommy yells back. 

“Oh, okay. Carry on.” He goes back into the kitchen.

“Bitch.” Quackity mutters under his breath, pushing himself off the ground, then yelling again as hands that are  _ cold _ stick into his feathers. He falls over. 

“Wings, oh my god-” Wilbur whispers, hitting Tommy in the shoulder. “A chicken, he’s a chicken, Tommy! Oh, Phil’s going to be so happy, you guys can be wing pals! Imagine-!”

Quackity wisely doesn’t blurt out that Phil was the first one who knew (and the one who refused to let him hide them again) and he instead scoots back with his back away from Wilbur, narrowing his eyes.

“I am  _ not _ a chicken.” Quackity stresses. 

“But you have little wings that are all-” Wilbur flaps his hands, like that explains it perfectly well. “Yeah!”

“Wait, when did you get wings-” Tommy asks, Wilbur continuing on, their words overlapping.

“And chickens have tiny wings too-”

“-you didn’t  _ have _ wings when we got here-” 

“-and they kinda look like yours! Although, yours is more yellow, I think-”

“-did they just sprout in the middle of the night? The fuck?” 

Quackity hits his hands to his face, feeling overwhelmed and very much like he wants to sink into the floor. “They’re supposed to be  _ bigger _ , it’s just that they’re snipped short so it’s easier to put them away.” He mumbles, Wilbur’s mouth closing abruptly, Tommy’s words trailing off. 

“Oh.” Wilbur says, and it seems like that sentence hit them both hard, Tommy frowning and setting his jaw. 

“Well, you still look like a chicken.” Tommy blurts out, raising his hands up, completely destroying whatever tense air had come up.

“I fucking do not, take that back-”

“He’s not a chicken.” Technoblade calls out, leaning from the doorway of the kitchen to butt into their conversation. They all turn their heads to him, Quackitly just now realizing they’re all sitting on the floor, save for Tommy, who’s just crouching really low that he might as well just sit. 

Techno looks at Quackity for a moment, tilting his head, and Quackity feels like he’s being judged. “He’s a duckling.” He says out of nowhere, grinning at Wilbur, then he goes back into the kitchen like he was never part of the conversation. 

Wilbur gasps, slapping his hands to his own face. “You’re a little duckling!” He exclaims, Tommy bursting out laughing at how overjoyed he declares it. 

“I am not  _ little- _ ”

“I mean, he is short-” Tommy nods, Wilbur nodding along, the two of them nodding very seriously as Quackity feels two seconds from screaming. 

“I am  _ not- _ ”

“Baby duck.” Wilbur nods. 

“Oh god, that’s even worse than chicken-”

“ _ QUACK _ ITY!” Tommy yells, hitting his hands to his head. “Because you’re a duck! Is  _ that _ seriously why you’re named that?!”

“Don’t question my name-”

“-did your parents hate you or something-?”

“ _ -Bitch- _ ”

The door opens a moment later, Phil and Niki walking in with tired smiles, Phil freezing at the doorway at seeing Tommy on the floor, yelling with his hands waving through the air, Quackity staring into the ground like it’s the bane of his existence, and Wilbur chipper as always, ignoring how Tommy continues to rant next to him.

“Because you’re a duck, a literal duck! I thought it was weird before, now that’s just kinda, hmm, sad-?”

“HEY-”

“Phil! Phil! You’ll never believe this, Quackity has wings! Like you! You guys can be wing buddies!” Wilbur cheers, smiling wide. “He’s a baby duckli-”

“ _ Don’t _ call me that-”

Niki chokes on a laugh, and Phil nods. “You see, that’s wonderful, Wilbur, but I think Niki has hypothermia, so-”

\---

About an hour later, time passes into the afternoon, conversation is passed around along with food, and the house is surprisingly calm, even with more people in it than usual. 

Techno and Phil sit in the kitchen, Phil scribbling down plans on paper as Techno listens to the light chatter in the next room, Tommy’s voice overshadowing Quackity for a moment, Wilbur and Niki barely audible compared to their yelling. 

It’s weird, having the sound of other voices in the background, actual people in his home. 

He had gotten used to the silence of the house, silence of retirement. 

Well, that didn’t last long. Hardly lasted at all, with Tommy showing up in the snow, and bringing along a chain reaction, apparently. Now there’s people in his home, two of which he’s not entirely sure how to feel about, not entirely sure if he should trust them. 

But Phil’s here with him, and Tommy, and Wilbur, so it’s not all bad, really.

“Okay, so, here, we could build about four other houses, properly spaced out like this.” Phil says, Techno pulling his attention away from the other people in the house and instead turning his head to Phil, and the paper he’s sliding over the table. 

Techno blinks at the drawn out plan, places where new houses could be built, and he’s about to just shrug and say it looks good before he pauses, and actually considers what Phil’s saying. “Wait, wait, why four.”

Phil continues on like he didn’t hear him. “I think we could put something in the middle, too, maybe something for a bonfire would look cool, or a tree, actually-”

“Phil, Phil.” Techno stresses, grabbing at Phil’s arm, stopping him from writing anymore. “We don’t need four houses for two people.” 

“Well,” Phil shrugs, tilting his head, and Techno blinks.

“No.”

Phil winces, smiling awkwardly. “Niki said earlier that if things got bad, Ranboo would come over here-”

“When did my house become a public place?!” Techno exclaims, Phil snorting. “More people are coming over here?! We have enough already!”

“Hey, hey, it’s all part of the plan.”

“This is not part of the plan.” Techno frowns. “I was not informed that the plan consisted of my house becoming public property.” 

“It’s not! Which is why we’re making other houses, so people can get out.” 

“I’m- I’m still not exactly into the idea of neighbors, Phil.” 

Phil sighs out one long breath, grinning. “It’s not just that. Think about the bigger picture. L’manburg.”

Techno leans back in his seat, raising his eyebrows. “What about it?”

“Original plan was to burn it to the ground.” 

“That’s still very much the plan.” 

“Of course.” Phil nods, like it couldn’t be any other way. “But this could be a way…”

Techno looks down at the paper under Phil’s hands again, thinks about more people staying around here, people have been hurt over and over, tired and exhausted from fighting. From war, from conflict. He knows that a lot of people want an escape, a way out, somewhere where it’s definite that they won’t be hurt, either by the rules Dream’s placed, or by the wars that have been started. 

Peace, Techno thinks. That’s what he came here for, retirement, which didn’t last long, but the point still stands. 

He wonders if that’s along the lines of what Tommy came here for. 

“We could destroy it quietly.” Phil goes on, his tone softer. “What good is l’manburg, when all it’s people have run off?” 

“You actually think all of l’manburg is going to come here?” Techno asks, and he’s almost not fond of that idea, if only because company always ended in betrayal. Reminders of Pogtopia, that day of all of them united, comes into his head. Would it have gone differently if Phil was there an hour before, a day before? Would they have stayed together, and not turned against him? 

He almost wishes it went differently. But wishing gets him nothing. He has to act. 

“Dream is already starting things up, from what Niki’s said.” Phil says, leaning onto the table, the paper laying under his clasped hands. “People aren’t going to be happy with him there. He’s trying to gain control.”

“We can gain allies.” Techno says quietly. 

“Against him, exactly.” Phil praises, smiling. “We can prepare, make a home for ourselves, and when Dream inevitably comes to try and mess with it, everyone will fight back.” 

Techno nods slowly, processing his words. “I’m still up for burning the town.”

Phil laughs, bumping his leg into Techno’s under the table. “Well, that’s not entirely out of the equation. There are still people who need proper payback.”

Wilbur comes in then, a cup held in his hands and a bright smile on his face. “Hello!” He greets, Phil and Techno turning their heads to him. 

“Hey, Will.”

“Hi, Wilbur.” 

Wilbur looks...warmer. There’s no other way to describe it, he looks more him, eyes less pale, the blue colors in his clothes finally vibrant again. Techno knows it most likely won’t last, but he’s glad to see the change, even if he doesn’t have high hopes for it. 

Wilbur pauses in front of the table, holding the cup out to Phil. “Niki ran out of hot chocolate.” 

“I guess I’ll make more, then?” Phil asks, getting up from his seat and taking the cup from Wilbur’s hands. Wilbur nods, taking his seat. 

Phil goes to busy himself by the counter, and Wilbur looks down at the papers that Techno tidies up. “What’s this?” He asks, eyes looking over it. “Homes?”

“Houses.” Techno corrects, although it’s more or less the same. “We need more space around here.” 

“Yeah.” Wilbur nods, blinking down at the drawings with a blank expression. “Everyone is going to be together?” 

“That’s the plan.” Techno says, although he says it quite unenthusiastically. Wilbur just stares at the drawings for a long while, silence stretching out. 

There’s a mood in the air that Techno isn’t sure how to place, and after a long minute, Wilbur raises his head again, smiling. 

“Everyone is happy, right?” He asks, and Techno falters. 

“I’m guessing?” He can only say, glancing to Phil for help. “Yes.”

“I’m happy.” Wilbur nods, Phil’s movements slowing, before he continues with pouring hot chocolate into Niki’s cup, hands just barely shaking. “This is enough for me.” 

“Is it?” Techno asks.

“Yeah, it’s-” Wilbur stops, stammering. “It’s-” 

He looks lost, for a second. 

Then he sweeps up the papers on the table, standing to his feet. “It’s going to be great with the company around! Oh, let’s go see outside-” He runs off, the front door opening.

“Hey-” Techno leans forward, huffing as he sees Wilbur run off with a grin, having stolen the papers. 

“Wilbur, your cape!” Phil calls out, reminding, and Techno hears Wilbur laugh from outside. He can hear Tommy follow him out the door and down the stairs, running out into the cold. 

\---

They follow Wilbur outside, working for a bit on the start of a new house, Niki being excused from any type of work, seeing as she had traveled through the snow for the whole morning, in clothes that didn’t do much. 

She sits at the porch with a blanket over her legs and a warm cup in her hands, observing the others moving around and being productive. 

Technoblade and Phil stand to the side of the house, drawing out lines in the snow, talking about materials, space. From what they’re thinking, it would be a small house, but cozy, comfortable, and at least better than sleeping out here or in the basement. 

Wilbur hovers by Phil and Technoblade, although he isn’t really a part of their conversation, rather more focused on Tommy, who’s immersed in his own conversation with Quackity, the two of them sitting across from Niki, out in the snow. There’s materials thrown around in a somewhat organized mess, and the two of them have been put in charge of crafting axes for the trees that they’ll need to chop down later on today, no doubt. Although they’re slacking a bit on the crafting part.

Niki’s eyes wander up to the sky as she takes a sip from her cup, and she wonders if l’manburg is alright, if Ranboo or Tubbo are safe. Fundy, Eret, she hopes they’re alright. There’s no guarantee this far out, though. 

Shaking her thoughts away, he looks to Phil again, looking at his wings, and she wonders if they’re always held so tightly closed. The image of yanked out feathers scattered across the snow flashes in her mind for a split second, and she holds back a frown. 

The day feels too tense. So an idea forms in her head, and she glances over to Wilbur, who seems to be making snow angels. She smiles and lets him finish before calling him over with a wave. 

Wilbur comes over with a bright smile, leaning over the railing on the other side of the porch, his feet floating. There’s snow stuck on his hair and clothes, and it’s bittersweet, but still a nice sight. 

“Can you do me a favor?” Niki whispers, a smile spreading across her face, mischief burning in her chest. 

The day is too quiet. 

This should liven it up. 

“What favor?” Wilbur whispers back, leaning in like they’ll be heard, when really no one is paying any mind to what they’re saying. 

“I need you to make a snowball.” Niki nods, and Wilbur immediately does so, dropping down onto the snow and grabbing a handful, packing it into a roundish shape. He looks to Niki, face expectant. She points at Phil for the target. 

His eyes go wide, before a small smile breaks out on his face, and he nods, raising his chin up and walking over with a casual mood in his steps.

Niki leans back in her chair, sipping from her drink as Wilbur stares at Phil for a moment, holding up the snowball like he’s trying to aim perfectly, then sends it flying. 

It’s a fairly good shot, and Niki snorts into her mug as it hits the back of Phil’s head, snow scattering. He yells, his wings puffing out in surprise, nearly hitting Technoblade beside him, and when he spins around, trying to brush the snow off his neck, Wilbur just blinks at both Techno and Phil, then points to Tommy, who sits behind him. 

“Tommy did it.” Wilbur says, laughter sitting under his words.

“I what?” Tommy turns his head, not having been paying attention. 

“Alright.” Techno nods, and he abandons the work behind him to pick up snow from the ground, crushing it into a small ball. Tommy stares at him like he’s been sent to his doom, and Techno grins, Phil still trying to wipe snow off his hair.

Techno throws the snowball right at Tommy, and it hits the ground right beside him harshly, bits of snow flying into the air with it’s impact, Tommy shrieking and screaming at Quackity to run. 

\---

“This is it, man, I’m dying here!” Quackity cries, leaning his back against their cover, a wall of snow that’s falling apart with each precisely aimed snowball that Techno throws. They can’t repair it, unless they want to get immediately killed, and Quackity just slides down until he’s laying on the floor, staring up at the sky, shaking his head. “It was a good life.”

“Don’t give up on me now, Big Q!” Tommy insists, trying to pull Quackity off the snow. When that doesn’t work, he just takes a handful of said snow and shoves it down his shirt. 

Quackity gets up then, yelling. “Fucking hell- that’s cold!” He tries to get the snow out of his shirt without sitting up too much, lest he wants a snowball in the back of the head. 

“Listen to me, we have a chance, the ball is in our court, we got this-” Tommy says, sounding confident, and then a snowball comes flying and hits Quackity in the back of the head, Quackity falling to the ground again. Tommy shrieks and ducks down, kicking his legs against the ground. “No, no, I take that back! We don’t have this, we do  _ not _ have this-!” 

Niki finishes her cup of hot cocoa from the porch, Wilbur sitting beside her, the two of them watching and cheering the sudden snowball fight that’s broken out in under five minutes. 

It’s really not much of a fight though. Technoblade is doing most of the work, throwing each one every single time either Tommy or Quackity are the slightest bit away from their cover. Phil just supplies snowballs while watching with a grin as the two of them panic. 

“Go, Technoblade!” Wilbur cheers, raising his hands up to the sky, smiling wide. “Yeah, Technoblade!” Niki waves a hand up too, not nearly as enthusiastic, but still enjoying it nonetheless.

“Traitor!” Tommy screams, and Niki watches as Techno sends another snowball flying through the air, landing dangerously close to Tommy’s head as he scrambles to duck down again.

He turns to Quackity, the two of them kneeling down low on the ground, Tommy jabbing a finger into the snow as he tries to give a pep talk, even though they’re definitely losing. “Alright, listen to me Big Q, we can win this. The odds are in our favor-”

“No they’re not, man-” Quackity says in between laughs, sounding doomed. 

“Oh come on, it’s just  _ Technoblade _ , with his really, really good, deadly aim that will kill us on impact-” He sounds unsure. “Okay listen, if you be the distraction-”

“ _ Fuck _ no.” Quackity refuses, Tommy backtracking. 

“Alright, so I’ll be the distraction-” Tommy says, then laughs nervously, not sounding so sure of that one either. “Then you can hit him-”

“I’m going to die either way!” Quackity yells, hitting his hands to his face. “We’re doomed.”

“No, no, we’re not going to lose, and you know why?”

“...why.” Quackity says back, not at all having faith in Tommy. 

“Because I have a plan A, B, and the rest of the alphabet and all that.”

“You just made one up on the spot-”

“We got this! This is a winnable fight.” Tommy ignores him, waving a hand. 

“Doubt that.” Phil cuts in, and the two of them freeze. 

Quackity turns around to see Phil smiling warmly behind him, and one second, Tommy’s trying to reach for a snowball, and the next, he’s lost his partner, Quackity shrieking as he gets grabbed and pulled up into the air. 

“That can’t be fair!” Tommy yells, watching them go up, sitting up-

A snowball hits him on the side of the head, and Tommy slams into the snow sideways like a sack of potatoes. 

Niki almost snorts into her cup, Wilbur letting out a whoop. 

“This  _ does _ seem unfair.” Niki notes, warming her hands with her drink, with what little is left in the cup. 

“Oh, it definitely is.” Wilbur nods, the two of them watching as Technoblade stands to his feet, walking away from his and Phil’s cover, although he never really used it in general.

Tommy huffs out into the snow, pushing himself off the ground as he hears footsteps crunch towards him, and he turns around, yelling as snow gets thrown towards him when Techno kicks down his cover, which was falling apart anyway.

“Oh, cheater, you fucking-” Tommy turns around, getting his feet to try and go into a sprint, and he gets yanked off his feet instead, screaming as he’s lifted into the air by Techno. “Wait, fuck, fuck, no-! Time out!”   
  


“No time outs!” Techno grins, Tommy kicking and swearing as he’s thrown up into the air, shrieking and landing in a pile of snow. “Blood for the blood god.” Techno says, standing over him, Tommy’s unhappy scowl looking back up at him.

“Fuck you, that’s so not fair-” Tommy goes to complain, and he yells again when Techno just kicks snow over him to bury him. Quackity joins Tommy in the pile of the snow not long after. 

\---

They do end up making progress on the house, if only a good frame and flooring before night falls, and everyone realises they’ve completely skipped dinner. Time passed quickly, they had been busy, mostly with impromptu snowball fights that had to be refereed by Wilbur, since Techno and Phil were just winning each one without fail.

Dinner gets made and passed around, and Tommy has to shake snow out of his shirt several times from both Techno and Wilbur sticking handfuls of snow down his shirt. 

Some more progress gets made on the first house, night falls, and Quackity and Tommy come inside with their clothes soaking wet, after having been quite literally rolling around outside. Tommy goes to sleep in Techno’s room, as always. Wilbur joins him. Techno leaves with Phil to his room, and Niki and Quackity get places to sleep in front of the fireplace. 

For a moment, as Niki holds a soft blanket in her hands with a warm fire beside her, her heart aches for l’manburg and all that the future holds for it, but she lets it go, in that moment, and chooses to sleep, rather than worry. 

The house goes quiet, and mostly everyone sleeps. (Save for Wilbur)

\---

When Ranboo comes to, it’s to the feeling of a painful burn across his hands, his arms, and to the sharp shock of the cold, biting into him. 

He blinks, breathing heavily, his throat sore, and he notices that there’s- snow? 

Snow. Which falls onto him, and seems to have been falling onto him for a while, melting into his clothes and burning even more, the pain making him gasp and blink back tears. 

What’s going on?

What’s-

He tries to think, looking around. He’s in the snow, in the middle of nowhere, late at night. But no, no, that doesn’t make sense. Last he remembers-

The, the last thing he remembers-

Ranboo looks down to his hands, and he almost screams at seeing the red that’s splattered across them, and, oh it’s on his shirt. It’s not his blood. 

He’s holding a map. He doesn’t remember grabbing said map, nor following it, but when he looks at it, he recognizes it pretty quickly, and when he looks up ahead, he sees a light in the distance. 

Forcing his legs to move, he ignores the way his hands burn and panic is crawling up his throat, because this isn’t his blood, this isn’t his blood, there’s someone’s blood on his hands and shirt and he doesn’t remember  _ who’s- _

Technoblade’s house, it’s in the distance. It seems so far, with each shaking step, but it’s the only thing he has. 

_ Niki _ , he thinks, her face popping up in his head. She’s here, right? She could help?

He doesn’t even know what he needs help  _ with, _ though. 

Gasping in cold air, he trudges through the snow, and fails to keep tears back, feeling them stream down his face, and then burn. It’s annoying, and painful, but he knows it’ll heal. It always does. 

The house is closer, and Ranboo tries to yell, for Niki, maybe, but nothing comes out, and he coughs instead. 

There’s a porch, with steps. He goes up them, one at a time, holding onto the railing with a death grip, breathing hard and shivering almost violently. It’s too cold, and he wishes he could remember why he even came here. 

He knocks on the door in front of him with all the strength he can muster, hoping that someone is home, to let him in. The idea of it being awfully late crosses his mind for a second, and he nearly laughs. 

Then the thought of Tubbo slams into him, and it feels like his energy is gone, because wait, wait, he needed to stay at l’manburg  _ for _ Tubbo, that’s the whole reason he stayed behind-

The door swings open, yanking him out of his thoughts, and he’s greeted with the sight of Technoblade, an axe in hand. The others stand behind him, and Ranboo glances to see Niki standing inside, eyes wide. 

“Ranboo?” Her mouth moves, but Ranboo doesn’t hear a thing, and he’s seriously regretting knocking this door at all, so he runs, stumbling down the steps, back down to the snow. 

There’s a ringing in his ears, and his head hurts, and when the world starts to tilt, he doesn’t stop it, falling forwards without even trying to catch himself. 

“RANBOO!” He hears that one, and hands grab at his arms, just barely saving him from slamming into snow, and he closes his eyes-

And sleeps.

\---

Somewhere else, in l’manburg, Fundy walks into a colorful castle to get some sleep. 

He finds Eret on the floor, wheezing for air, and their blood soaking into the ground.

He screams for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> So, again, this IS a rewritten version of chap 20, so yeah, maybe it's a bit repetitive, sorry for that, BUT I PUT MORE EFFORT AND IT LOOKS GREAT
> 
> also now you know who got stabbed! Those of you who read version 1 and had been left on the cliffhanger, good theories,,,although off the mark :)
> 
> Thank you for reading! My mental health is up and school is no longer kicking me into the ground so hopefully I can get more updates out


	21. Flashbacks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picks up right after Tubbo and Dream have a Moment, fyi, so like, kinda early in the morning, round there

Tubbo knows that the person in front of him can’t be trusted. Dream’s always been against them, from the start, has always fought against Wilbur, fought against Tommy, fought against _him_. 

Dream can’t be trusted. 

But he can’t help but wish, just for a second, just a fleeting moment, that the hug Dream is giving something real, and that for once, someone is fully on his side. He can’t help the small part of his head hoping for the possibility that Dream might not be that bad, and is on his side, for once. 

Things went so terribly yesterday. 

He regrets putting Technoblade on that stage, putting him under that anvil, because while Tubbo thought it might do something, might secure their safety, ( _his_ safety) it just proved again that his efforts meant _nothing_. 

Technoblade lived, with a totem in his pocket and with Phil coming to his rescue, and it was bad enough how the two of them fought against his people, created destruction as a way to escape, but the thing that hurt most was how Tommy went with them. 

Quackity, the man who was supposed to be on his side, supposed to be with l’manburg, left him! The two of them, leaving l’manburg behind, to join Technoblade and Phil, who only created more conflict, more danger, who looked at Tubbo with fire in their eyes, like they were going to kill him for ever thinking of trying to stage an execution-

He thought if Techno was gone, and Tommy was home, then he could go from there, and maybe create a better country. Get rid of the danger, and then make sure the people are safe. Try not to make a war. 

God, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. 

But he has to figure it out. Self-doubt threatens to creep into his heart and make him cry again, but Tubbo presses it down, and breathes in, taking a large step back. Dream just keeps his arms raised, like he’s offering for a longer hug. 

It was long enough. Tubbo wants a bit more comfort, he’ll admit that, but his duty needs to come first. And right now, l’manburg has to come first. 

Dream had a point with everything he brought up earlier. He failed to kill Technoblade, he failed to see which allies he had, he lost Quackity, he lost Tommy, and now-

Small steps. Tubbo can deal with this. He can deal with-

Niki. 

Tubbo turns around, brushing off the small moment of vulnerability he had with Dream, because Dream can’t be trusted, even if he’s on Tubbo’s side. (He is on his side, right? He’s on their side?)

“I hope you hold up your promise, Dream.” He says quietly, and he can see in the corner of his eye as Dream puts the mask back over his face, the clasp at the back of it connecting with a click. He doesn’t know how to feel about the fact that was the first time he’s seen Dream without that mask, the first time he’s seen Dream actually take it off. Does that mean he trusts Tubbo? That’s good, right?

“I will.” Dream nods, and Tubbo nods with him. He goes for the door, faltering as Dream speaks up again. “But we still need to deal with Niki.” 

She can’t actually be a traitor. Not Niki, who’s sided with l’manburg, sided with Wilbur, with him, since the beginning. Not Niki, who’s kind, and trusting, and even occasionally invites Tubbo to help with her bakery. They would sometimes spend hours trying to perfect a cake, or get a batch of cupcakes to look just right. 

Maybe she had a point. 

Is _he_ in the wrong here? 

He just wanted to get rid of Technoblade, bring back Tommy. Then he could reverse that exile, and make sure Technoblade didn’t try anything again. But if she had actually gone against him, had been on Techno’s side, then-

Maybe he’s in the wrong?

But he couldn’t be, right? Technoblade is _dangerous_. He doesn’t know why Tommy was with him, but it couldn’t have been for good reason. After the betrayal, after l’manburg went up in flames, they couldn’t trust Technoblade, he was sure of that. (He had been almost sure of that even before the betrayal, ever since Tubbo was put up on stage, at the festival, and-)

So, Niki might just be confused. 

They just have to talk this out. 

“We shouldn’t…” Tubbo says, clearing his throat before starting again. “She shouldn’t be locked in the bakery.”

“Well, of course not.” Dream says, and a small bit of hope rises in Tubbo’s chest. “She can’t be in there forever, we need to get rid of her.” 

“No.” Tubbo says quickly, turning to Dream. “No, why would we-”

“Tubbo.” Dream sighs, a hint of exasperation in his tone. Tubbo tries to stand straight. He’s made too many mistakes at this point, but he can fix it. He can fix this. He has to. “She’s a _traitor_.”

“She’s not.” 

“How can you be so sure?”

“I know how- I know Niki!” Tubbo yells, Dream crossing his arms. “And I know that if she really went against us yesterday, at the execution, then she just must’ve thought wrong! Or maybe-” 

“Or?” Dream cuts in, Tubbo’s mouth clicking shut. 

What if _he’s_ in the wrong? The idea pops up in Tubbo’s head again, and he doesn’t want to think about it, he doesn’t want to see that. Because if he’s fucked up things this badly, then he doesn’t know what he’s doing, then this is all his fault. 

Tommy leaving him behind is his fault. 

“Or, we… we just made a bad call.” Tubbo says anyway, even with how it tastes bitter in his mouth. 

“You didn’t make a bad call, Tubbo.” Dream reassures, Tubbo nodding stiffly. “It just went wrong. If Technoblade was executed correctly, and Phil never showed up, then l’manburg would be safer, and Tommy would be here, home.” 

His words feel more like a sting rather than a reassurance, a reminder that Tubbo’s messed it up. 

“Right.” Tubbo nods. “But with- Niki.” 

“How should we get rid of her?”

“We’re _not_.” Tubbo insists, hands grabbing onto the fabric of his sleeves, before relaxing. “We, we should interrogate her.” 

“Interrogate her?” 

“Ask her about last night, you know? We can find out if this is just her on her own actions, or if she was really with Technoblade. Then, we can go from there.” Tubbo stammers out, willing his voice to be steady. 

Dream hums, as if he’s thinking it over, and for the few seconds of silence that hang in the air, Tubbo desperately wishes that Niki isn’t with Technoblade. He hopes that she hadn’t been planning on betraying them, but rather got caught up in something she didn’t mean to do. 

“Alright. Sounds good.” Dream nods, and Tubbo holds back a sigh of relief, watching Dream walk past him, going to the door. He goes to follow, and then nearly runs into Dream as the man pauses suddenly while opening the door. 

He turns to Tubbo, who raises his chin. “But I ask the questions. I think I’ll be able to get more answers out of her.” 

“Alright.” Tubbo agrees, if only because he wants to just know already, wants to talk with her, and Dream hums again, going out the door. Tubbo follows at his heels. 

Internally, there’s a small part of Tubbo that feels guilty for locking Niki up. 

Even if they have to take their precautions with a possible traitor, Niki is still his friend. 

Family, he could possibly say, because there’s moments where he looks at her and sees someone that could’ve been a sister, in another life. Moments where he can’t help but trust her wholeheartedly, and where the smell of sugar always brings the image of her face to his mind. 

She’s on his side, surely, always has been. She’s with him. 

Except. She’s gone.

When they get to the front doors of the bakery, they’re left wide open, and the inside is empty of anyone, dim and abandoned. There’s still supplies, stacked against the wall, the broom from earlier innocently leaning against the counter, as if she simply went for a stroll. 

She’s gone. 

“The chains are broken.” Dream mutters, pulling at the metal thrown on the ground, pulling the door with a deep frown behind his mask. 

Tubbo can’t help but stare into the bakery, stepping past the doorway, his heart squeezing as he realizes the lights are off, it’s quiet. “Niki?”

“Someone must’ve let her out.” Dream says quietly, like he’s talking to himself. He might as well be, because Tubbo’s slowly panicking, shock crawling up his throat and taking his breath. 

“Niki!?” Tubbo calls again, but the bakery isn’t that big. There aren't that many hiding places. She’s left. “Wha- She’s- Dream, she’s-”

“She ran.” Dream says, Tubbo turning to him with wide eyes, hands over his heart that feels like it hurts. “We don’t know how far she’s gotten at this point, she’s-” He sighs sharply, hand hitting against the door. 

Tubbo jolts. 

“She must've gone to Technoblade.” Dream murmurs, and Tubbo shakes his head. 

“No. No, no, she-” He looks around. “She’s _not_ a traitor.” He insists, voice breaking halfway, and he can’t cry again, this is a serious problem, and he has to deal with it- 

“Why would an innocent person run, Tubbo?” Dream asks, and Tubbo turns away, looking around the bakery again, as if Niki will pop out of thin air to prove Dream wrong. But she doesn’t appear, and Tubbo breathes in deeply, feeling his eyes burn. 

Dream turns his head to the distance, where a colorful castle lies. 

“I’m going to go check out something. If she’s seen in l’manburg again, tell me.” He tells Tubbo, ignoring the quiet sniff that comes from him, and he walks away, leaving Tubbo in an empty, left behind bakery. 

Tubbo hears the steps of Dream walking away, and he can’t move, eyes stuck on the ground. He blinks, once, twice, and his eyes are blurry, his heart hurts, but he has to stay strong. He has to deal with this. 

His eyes burn, and he blinks again, over and over, willing for the tears to disappear, for the ache in his chest to leave. There’s so much he has to do. It doesn’t matter that Niki’s not here. It doesn’t matter if she’s become another ally to their enemy. 

It doesn’t matter that she- 

She-

She left.

The final realization hits Tubbo, and it sinks in just how empty the bakery is now, around him, and it feels so _wrong_. 

He chokes on a sob as his emotions overwhelm him entirely, guilt swallowing him up whole and he wraps his arms around himself, falling to the floor. 

He shouldn’t cry. Internally, he tells himself he shouldn’t cry, he should stay strong, should stand up tall. Make plans for defense, make plans for when trouble comes. He’s the leader of l’manburg, he needs to _lead_. 

But instead a broken sound comes out from him, and he leans forward, tightening his arms around his torso as he curls in on himself, gasping. 

This is too much, it’s too much. Because it’s not only Niki isn’t it? 

No, because Niki’s gone, Quackity ran, Tommy-

He didn’t stay, because Tubbo fucked it up, and he didn’t _stay-_

“Tubbo?” He hears, and he curls in on himself even more, gasping again, and it feels like air isn’t working. “Tubbo, oh-”

Ranboo is there, dropping to the ground in front of Tubbo, his hands hovering out like he wants to grab onto him. “Hey, hey-”

Tubbo takes a sharp breath in, gritting his teeth, and he lifts his head. Ranboo stares back, hands still raised up, looking nervous. 

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. It’s alright. Tubbo, are you okay?” He asks, and Tubbo just huffs as more tears fall down his face, shoulders shaking. 

“Ranboo…?” Tubbo says quietly, Ranboo nodding. 

“Yeah, yeah, that’s- that’s me. Look, you-” Ranboo looks around, a quiet warbling sound coming from his throat. “Take deep breaths.” He advises, when he finds he’s not sure on what to say. 

Tubbo tries to follow his instructions, but he can only close his eyes and cry again, squeezing his hands into fists. “Niki’s gone.” He chokes out.

Ranboo frowns, mouth opening, before closing again, but Tubbo doesn’t notice, and he continues on. 

“Niki’s gone, and Quackity’s left, and Tommy’s-” Tubbo puts his hands against his face, sniffling against his palms. “ _Tommy-_ ” 

God, he hurt him. Tubbo had just wanted him back, just wanted to try and get him safe in l’manburg again, under his watch, but he sounded so _hurt_ when Technoblade was getting executed, and he left the moment there was a way out. Tubbo doesn’t blame him. 

“I think-” Tubbo lowers his palms from his face, staring at nothing, as Ranboo sits in front of him. “I think I’ve fucked it all up.” Tubbo whispers quietly, eyes wide with tears. 

“Tubbo…” Ranboo trails off, hand hovering over his shoulder. Tubbo expects to hear some sort of confirmation, or rather a so-so reassurance, but instead Ranboo just sighs, and Tubbo can’t help but feel like he’s the reason why. 

“Can I hug you?” Ranboo asks, and Tubbo blinks, thrown off. He raises his head to Ranboo’s face, who looks hesitant, but worried as he holds his arms out slightly, waiting for an answer. 

Tubbo nods, after a moment. 

Ranboo hesitantly wraps his arms around Tubbo, as if Tubbo will back out at any moment, but he doesn’t and he instead just leans against Ranboo, shoving his face into his shirt. He’s getting tears into Ranboo’s clothes, but he doesn’t care, and Ranboo holds onto him tighter as he sobs again. 

“It’s alright.” He reassures quietly, resting his chin onto Tubbo’s hair. “It’s alright, even if things go wrong-” He pauses, and he doesn’t finish the sentence. 

Tubbo holds onto the side of Ranboo’s shirt with one hand, grabbing onto the fabric with a death grip as he tries to take calming breaths. They have practically no effect, but he’s making an effort, and they sit there, on the floor, for what feels like forever. 

Ranboo just stays quiet, rubbing a hand at Tubbo’s back, hoping it helps. 

“I don’t know how to fix this.” Tubbo admits quietly, after a few minutes of silence, his voice slightly muffled from where he’s hiding his face. 

“That’s okay, you don’t-” Ranboo shakes his head, stammering for a second. “You don’t need to know how.” 

Tubbo almost wants to scoff. This is his whole job. This is the whole point. L’manburg is his home, his country, now. He needs to know how.

Ranboo continues on, even with Tubbo’s thoughts. “We’ll figure it out, yeah? I’ll help. It’s going to be okay. We, we can figure it out, and if things get bad, I’ll help.” 

Tubbo nods slowly, appreciating how earnest Ranboo sounds, in his promise. It’s comforting, to know he’s not alone, he still has people on his side. But, then again. 

Will that last?

Tubbo takes a sharp breath in, holding it for a second, before letting it out. “You won’t leave too, right?” He says quietly, just barely enough for Ranboo to hear. 

“No.” Ranboo responds, and Tubbo’s eyes fill with tears again. “I’m here.”

“Okay.” Tubbo says, and it’s all he can say, lest he wants to cry once more. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Ranboo copies, squeezing Tubbo in his arms. “Why don’t we go...tend to some flowers? Your bees?”

“I can’t, I have to-” Tubbo blinks, biting the inside of his cheek. He needs to get ready for the next attack, for war, because peace won’t last long, he’s going to get attacked, he’s going to get- “I need to start planning defences.”

“It’s better to do that with a clear mind, right?” Ranboo points out, Tubbo humming. “So, why don’t you take a break, just for today, and then we can start on work?”

Tubbo takes a few seconds to consider it. 

He agrees. 

\---

“Eret.” Dream’s words seem to echo across the halls, his footsteps resounding as he walks up to the throne that Eret sits on, staring at Dream through his sunglasses. “What did you _do_.”

Eret looks bored, more than anything, and he observes Dream for a second, frowning. 

“What do you mean?”

Dream’s hands curl into fists at his side, and he squares his shoulders, Eret leaning back in his seat. “Have you seen Niki this morning?”

Eret hums, tilting his head to the side. “I have.”

“When?”

He doesn’t answer right away, instead just shifting his leg to cross it over the other, and he looks at Dream with that same bored look, like he isn’t worth his time. 

He hopes the face covers up the way his hands are shaking. With the way Dream stomped into here, Eret knows Niki’s disappearance must’ve put a stop to his plans. It gives a slight bit of satisfaction. 

“ _When_?” Dream says again, a quiet threat under his words. 

“Not that long ago.” Eret shrugs. “Earlier this morning.” 

Dressed to travel in the cold, eyes wide with hesitation and fear, Eret tells internally. Something in him catches fire, and while part of him is afraid, knowing Dream isn’t in the best mood right now, another part of him wants to push it. 

Another part of him wants to piss him off. 

“Did you know,” Dream starts, raising his chin up high. “That yesterday at the execution, Niki had committed treason by going against us?” 

Eret hesitates, but he tries to not show it, instead just blinking at Dream for a second. “Treason?”

“She shot at l’manburg, and helped Technoblade escape.” Dream says, taking a few steps back. “She shot at Tubbo.” 

He says it like it’s a terrible crime, and in a way, it is, but Eret isn’t really phased. “I know.” He says, and Dream goes still. 

Eret’s heart beats fast in their chest, something like adrenaline in their veins, because they shouldn’t be pushing it, they really shouldn't be. There's no telling what Dream can be capable of, but if Eret is going to find a way to lessen his manipulation around here, then first, they need to stand _up_. 

And so they do, literally and figuratively, rising up from their seat to take slow steps towards Dream. “I gave some supplies, before she went on her way. After I helped her get out from the building _you_ locked her in.” 

He’s lying to Dream’s face, but it’s necessary, one, because it covers Ranboo’s tracks, keeps him from becoming a target and putting the attention onto Eret alone. 

And two: it sends a clear message.

_‘I am not on your side here. I see you.’_ is what Eret says, in their words. 

“She was a traitor to l’manburg.” Dream says, tilting his head to the side. “So we treated her like one.” 

“ _You_ locked her in there against her will-” Eret says, taking steps forward.

“Or else she could’ve done something worse, something to Tubbo-”

“Stop. Using. Tubbo. As an excuse!” Eret yells, Dream having to take a step back. “You weren’t worried about him, you were trying to do something with her. What were you planning for her?”

“That’s enough, Eret.” Dream waves a hand, shaking his head. 

“You were going to use her for something, you have a plan.” Eret continues, insistent. “I’m telling you right here, stop it.”

“Oh, come on.” Dream scoffs, laughing. Eret grits their teeth, their chest burning with anger, something filling up and spilling over too quick to even process. 

They could be rational, could be slow. Make this more subtle. 

But to hell with that. If they stand by, someone else will get hurt, and someone else will end up having to run, just like Niki. 

And they cannot let that happen again.

They can’t let Dream just do this. Even if all their power is taken away, even if Dream returns their advances ten-fold, it’s better than standing by and letting something happen. Action has to be _taken_. 

“You really think you can say that to me, Eret?” Dream asks, voice lighthearted, like this is a joke. “Hey, don’t forget-”

Eret steps forward, and halfway through Dream’s sentence, they slam their fist into Dream’s stupid mask, sending him falling backwards, onto the ground. 

It hurts their knuckles, skin against whatever that mask is made of, but it’s satisfying to see Dream fall onto the ground, a sharp breath of shock taken in. 

Eret stands over him, fist still raised, and Dream lifts his head, only able to stare in surprise.

“You try anything, and I’ll make you regret it.” Eret threatens, and Dream leans his head back, adjusting his mask. 

They stand still for a moment, Dream just staring, and Eret stands their ground, trying to not let their hands shake, the way their legs feel weak, affect them. 

“Try anything.” Dream repeats, just under his breath. Eret frowns. “What are you going to do, no, what _can_ you do, if I try anything, Eret?” 

Dream gets up from the floor, Eret taking a few steps back as Dream walks forward. 

“You’re not untouchable. You can try, but you can’t just get in my way.” 

“You’d be surprised.” Eret responds quietly, walking backwards, Dream continuing to walk forward, another step, another step, another-

Eret stumbles on the steps of his throne, falling back. Dream stops. 

“You know, maybe you _can_ do something.” Dream murmurs, Eret sitting up on the steps, gritting his teeth.

“Don’t.”

“Hm.” Dream nods, ignoring the glare Eret sends at him. “See you around!” He chimes, and he turns around, quickly walking away and out of the castle, leaving Eret to sit back on the steps of his throne, trying to calm his racing heart.

He stood up. 

Why does it feel like it didn’t do anything?

\---

Ranboo has to say it’s been a productive day. After calming Tubbo down, they went to tend to flowers, just like he suggested, and then went on to go bake a cake, play chess, anything other than work.

And anytime that Tubbo seemed like he was going to start trying to go work, Ranboo just threw another activity at him for him to do, and they continued on with a day of nothing entirely important. Distractions, comfort. Ranboo’s not the best at feelings, or chess, but he’s good at company, he likes to think.

It helps. Or at least he hopes it does. It feels like there’s tension looming over l’manburg, the pin about to drop, and it’s bad enough for Ranboo, who’s trying to brush away guilt and wandering thoughts, he can’t imagine how it must be for Tubbo, who’s the centerpiece of everything that happens. Everything that goes wrong, Tubbo’s always dragged into it, because it’s his job to be, and Ranboo can’t help but feel it’s somewhat unfair. 

The sun’s mostly gone down, Ranboo walking across the path with the faintest bits of red at the edges of the sky. He had told Tubbo to take a nap while he went to go do something, that something being to grab flowers. 

It’s not much, but the walk is calming on it’s own, and the small bundle of bright plants in his palms are sure to be a nice gift. 

Ranboo kneels down to the grass, picking a small, frail dandelion and standing back up, humming as he counts the flowers in his hands, deciding that it must be enough. 

He turns to walk down the path. 

Someone’s standing in the way. 

Ranboo recognises that mask a second too late, and he takes a careful step back, Dream turning to him-

The flowers fall onto the path, and they never get to Tubbo.

\---

“I’m going to need you to _do_ something for me.” 

\---

“Ranboo? Hey, it’s late, did you-” 

\---

“Ranboo, what are you doing?” 

\---

“Hey. Hey, you’re kinda freaking me out man, are you-”

\---

“What are you doing? Ranboo, what- Ranboo! What’s wrong-?!”

\---

“Stop! Ranboo, stop it! Put the sword down, listen, hey, hey. What’s wrong? Can, can you _hear_ me-?!”

\---

“-don’t make me fight you, listen to me, what’s going on? What are you doing? Ranboo, what are you doing, stop. Stop! Ranboo-!”

\---

“Ranboo!” 

Ranboo opens his eyes with a sharp gasp, and sits up, nearly knocking heads with Phil, who dodges backwards, raising his hands up. 

“Woah, mate-” 

“Oh, he’s okay-”

“He’s not dead!”

Ranboo blinks, taking in quick breaths as he looks around, seeing multiple faces, people hovering around him, is he on the floor? Oh, there’s a blanket over his legs, nice. He might be panicking. 

A hand carefully rests onto his shoulder, and Ranboo flinches back almost violently, turning his head to find Niki, staring with wide eyes. 

Her mouth moves, but her words blend in with the rest of the commotion in the room, and he can’t quite catch what she’s saying. He doesn’t know what’s going on, his face burns, his hands sting, and he’s absolutely freezing. 

So he leans forward and reaches for a hug, Niki wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and he stays like that, squeezing his eyes shut and giving up on piecing anything together, rather just wanting everything to stop. 

After a minute, or maybe two, five? He can’t be sure, he can hear Niki speak from over his head. 

“Okay, all of you get out. Phil, you stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhhh plot? Yeah I sure hope it does (Also Eret isn't dead, just for your peace of mind. Although, they are not having a grand time)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading!!! Because I got no clue what I'm doing, other than that the plotline I have planned is, hm, kinda cool. :)
> 
> (Edit: Holy fucking Philza Minecraft we're close to 100k hits on this story that's INSANE, that's so cool, that's so so cool, oh wow, I love you guys haha)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to me speedrunning my classwork so I can write nonsense words. Comments make my day, kudos add to my ego, and bookmarks make me wanna cry into the floor because it means people enjoy reading what I wrote. Take pity on this poor, poor soul. Gimme a comment.
> 
> (But also thanks for reading and clicking on the fic I'm glad you did, thanks I hope you have a wonderful day)
> 
> I don't get enough sleep for this foolishness
> 
> (If you got fanart or something, you can @ me with the username "sircantus" on either insta, twitter, or tumblr. I would love to see it)


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